A 33-year-old Romanian man, Lucian Grecu, was today jailed for seven months for stealing a mobile phone, with the court declaring that it was mindful of the damages being caused to innocent people by 'roaming organised criminals'.
The mobile phone, costing some €1,000, was stolen in a Paceville establishment but the man was arrested a short while later when it was found in his possession. He pleaded guilty in court.
The man had been accompanied by another Romanian, Cezarica Rosioru, who was also arraigned and pleaded not guilty.
The police said it had stepped up its efforts to clamp down on such groups, which went around the EU for the sole purpose of carrying out such crimes.
Police inspectors John Zahra and Matthew Spagnol prosecuted.