A 23-year-old woman wanted for a string of thefts hid inside a wardrobe as the police searched her residence, a court heard today.

Nikita McAnally, an unemployed woman from Qawra, stands charged with a list of offences. These include the aggravated theft of a vehicle parked in Pioneer Road, Buġibba, on May 13, damaging a vehicle while driving it recklessly and without a licence, the aggravated theft of another vehicle parked in Triq it-Tiben, Swieqi, on May 19, selling a mobile phone which she had borrowed, relapsing and breaching a probation order.

Prosecuting officers Trevor Micallef and Godwin Scerri told the court that the woman was going through a bad time and had turned to drugs. The thefts had been committed to sustain the drug habit.

Legal aid lawyer Leontine Calleja requested bail, arguing that the accused had a fixed address.

The prosecution objected, pointing out that the accused had been on the wanted list for over a month. She was never to be found at her residence, except for yesterday, when the police were tipped off that she was at home.

The police waited outside the door of her apartment and heard her voice from within. Upon knocking, they were met with her partner who told the police that the accused was not at home. The police searched the flat and found her crouching inside a wardrobe.

Magistrate Monica Vella turned down the request for bail and the accused was remanded in custody.