A negative fingerprint analysis got two men off the hook after a police officer testified he had caught them trying to steal aluminium louvers.

Magistrate Claire Stafrace Zammit cleared Alan Micallef, 40, and David Ellul Lanfranco, 31, both from Attard, of the attempted theft of an aluminium structure covering air conditioning units at the Transforma Clinic in Attard.

Police Constable Robert Vassallo testified that he was passing through Attard on January 20, 2011, at 5.30pm when he saw two men acting suspiciously in the front garden of a house.

He said Mr Micallef was holding aluminium louvers, something Mr Micallef denied from the outset, even telling the officer to take his fingerprints if need be.

In fact, fingerprint samples were taken and a comparison revealed no matches.

Mr Micallef said he was having a walk and met Mr Ellul Lanfranco. At one point, nature called, and he went into a garden to relieve himself, because it was a cold, wintry day. It was at that point that the officer approached, accusing them of trying to steal the aluminium structure.

The magistrate ruled that the prosecution had not proven beyond reasonable doubt that the two men had been trying to steal the aluminium structure.

Lawyers Michael and Lucio Sciriha appeared for the men.