Thieves tied an elderly woman to a chair as two break-ins were reported in Swieqi residences in the past hours, police told timesofmalta.com.

Last night, two thieves broke into a home in Triq il-Kwarta and tied an elderly woman to a chair. They requested money and gold but the police said nothing was stolen. The condition of the woman is not yet known.

The second case happened around 4am this morning when thieves broke into a residence in Triq it-Tiben while four member of a family were sleep.

The police said the thieves fled with a small amount of cash, believed to be around €100, and an electronic tablet.

The theft was only discovered at about 9.30am when a member of the family woke up and noticed the mess left by the intruders. Sources said the thieves gained access to the property through an adjacent building still under construction.

The incidents happened as police resources were stretched to the limit as Malta hosted the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting and the royal visit.

The sources said that in recent weeks a number of foreigners were going around saying they were vendors but a number of residents have questioned their real intentions.

“It seems they are more interested to get a glimpse of the contents inside homes to identify any potential targets rather than sell anything,” sources added.