Two plainclothes police officers deployed to curb pick-pocketing scored a success on Tuesday when they arrested a teenager, who pleaded guilty to attempted theft.

Magistrate Charmaine Galea heard that the Bulgaria-born Asya Georgieva Stancheva, 19, holder of a Romanian passport, was arrested when the officers saw her opening a woman’s handbag while alighting from a public bus close to the Preluna Hotel in Sliema.

The policemen identified themselves and arrested the girl.

Ms Stancheva was sentenced to a month in prison.

Police Inspector Jason Sultana prosecuted.

Lawyer Benjamin Valenzia appeared for the woman as legal aid.

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