A 19-year-old Somalian resident at the Hal Far open centre was handed a suspended sentence after being caught red handed stealing the belongings of a bather at St George's Bay.
Mohammed Hassan Abdillahi was apprehended by a policeman on patrol.
The bag contained a mobile phone worth €500 and a pair of glasses costing €400.
The accused pleaded guilty, apologised to the victim and returned all her belongings.