A man was held responsible for having stolen over €120,000 from a Group 4 Securitas van in 1998 but the court declined to award the company damages on grounds that it had failed to substantiate its claims.
Mr Justice Joseph Micallef, sitting in the First Hall of the Civil Court, delivered judgement in a case initiated by Group 4 Securitas (Malta) Ltd and two foreign insurance companies against Michael Angelo Pace, Victor Calleja and Jason Calleja. The companies claimed that Mr Pace, a Group 4 employee, had organised a hold-up on the company’s van he was driving. Cash amounting to €120,411.46 and €376,074.63 in cheques had been stolen. The hold-up took place in Marsa on December 22, 1998.
The court was asked to declare the men responsible for the theft and to order them to pay damages.
The court heard that Mr Pace had admitted to the criminal charges brought against him and had been given a suspended jail term by the Magistrates’ Court. The Callejas denied complicity in the theft and had not faced criminal charges.
Mr Justice Micallef found that Group 4 had proven its case against Mr Pace but had failed to prove it against the Callejas.
However, the court declined to award damages on the basis that the company had not produced enough evidence to show that it had suffered any damages. Group 4, the court noted, had not proved it had reimbursed its clients.
Lawyers David Camilleri and José Herrera appeared for Mr Pace.