Two men with a female appearance and donning women's clothes were today remanded in custody after pleading not guilty to attempting to steal a purse containing €600 while on a bus in Sliema.

Jason John Azzopardi, 39, from Paola and Natale Bonello, 40, from Marsascala, denied attempting to pickpocket a Welsh tourist on Wednesday afternoon.

The two unemployed men were also charged with stealing cash from a vegetable hawker as he was serving clients in December 13 road in Nadur, in the morning of July 31. They allegedly stole €180.

Later that day, they allegedly stole cash from Mizzi Hardware Store in Kercem Road, Victoria. On June 11, they allegedly stole around €400 from JA Vella Households in St Paul Street, Valletta.

The two men were further charged with breaching a number of previous court judgments, including a probation order handed down a few minutes before the June 11 theft. They also denied handing stolen property.

The tourist, Jeane Harris, 76, and her sister, Annette Willetts, 70, told Magistrate Natasha Galea Sciberras how they were on the bus going from St Julians to Sliema at around lunchtime on Wednesday.

They said the bus was packed and there was nowhere to sit. They said the two defendants, who they constantly referred to as women, twice told them: "Ladies, come here," leading them to believe that there was a seat where they could sit.

But when they arrived near them, they realised there were no seats and they had to hold on as the bus had started moving.

All of a sudden, Ms Willetts saw Mr Bonello with his hand inside her sister's handbag where she had a purse with €600.

They immediately moved away from the two men and went near the female bus driver who, upon being told about the attempted theft, locked the bus doors and called the police who arrived 20 minutes later.

The two men, who had not stolen the purse, were arrested on suspicion of attempted theft and charged in court.

No request for bail was made and they were remanded in custody.

The case continues on September 23.

Police Inspectors Jason Sultana and Bernard Spiteri prosecuted. Lawyer Arthur Azzopardi appeared for Mr Azzopardi while lawyers Franco Debono and Marion Camilleri appeared for Mr Bonello.