A man was watching the news on a failed heist at the HSBC headquarters in 2010 when he spotted his stolen van, a court heard yesterday.

Testifying in the case against lawyer and former police inspector David Gatt, Joe Borg said his van had been missing for more than a year when he suddenly saw it on television.

Dr Gatt, who had been dismissed from the police force on suspicion of being close to criminals, stands charged with involvement in the failed HSBC heist.

He is also charged with planning or helping to organise hold-ups, including a failed attempt to break into a security van carrying an estimated €2.8 million in cash in Qormi in January 2010, and a hold-up at the HSBC Balzan branch, when robbers made off with almost €1.1 million on November 30, 2007.

The case continues.

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