Two Romanian men were charged in court today with stealing 17 mobile phones and a tablet over the past month.

Sources said many of the phones were stolen from bus passengers. The police were tipped that pickpockets were targeting unsuspecting bus passengers and investigations led them to a guest house where they arrested the accused.

Cezar Mihalache, 53, and Ionel Mihailovici, 58, pleaded not guilty to stealing the phones, the tablet and other items from various parts of the island between July 4 and  24.

Mr Mihailovici alone was also charged with another count of theft, in Sliema, and relapsing.

The two men were charge together with a Romanian woman, Ana Iancu, 52, who admitted to handling stolen property and was given a 13-month jail term suspended for two years.

The two men were remanded in  police custody.

Police Inspectors Jonathan Ransely and Jason Sultana prosecuted.