Maxime Tarraso was apprehended at the Malta International Airport with an Apple Macbook Air and an Asus laptop. 

The theft took happened at 6.45pm on Sunday from an apartment in Tigne Street in Sliema. 

Magistrate Claire Stafrace Zammit heard how Mr Tarraso came to Malta on holiday with Fatoumata Tidiana Kiota and Caroline Le Roux. 

Ms Le Roux testified that she and her friend went to beach on Sunday afternoon and when they got back to their apartment their laptops were gone. She said she was sharing a bedroom with her friend while Mr Tarraso was staying in another bedroom with a friend. 

The French student said that when they realised that their laptops were missing and that the door to the bedroom was unlocked, they checked Mr Tarraso's bedroom and found that his suitcase was not there. 

She said they quickly caught a taxi to the airport and went directly to the airport police. They were referred to the Sliema police station where they were informed that Mr Tarraso had been found at the airport with the laptops. 

Ms Le Roux said she had informed the landlord because her bedroom door and that of Mr Tarraso could be unlocked with the same key. 

Under cross examination, the woman said that she had been dating Mr Tarraso for a while but he wanted to break off the relationship. She said it was not true that she gave him the laptop because he was travelling via Toulouse and could have met in Paris later to pick it up. 

She denied suggestion by the defence that they were not speaking because he was refusing to continue the relationship with her. She also denied that her report about the laptop was revenge. 

"I am not crazy reporting someone just because he did not want to date," she said.

Ms Kiota gave a more or less similar account to that of her friend. She said Mr Tarraso had been her friend for several years but had let her down. She broke down in court, saying she did not want him to get into trouble, adding that all she expected from him is an apology. 

It emerged during the testimonies that the two friends did not have a very lucky holiday in Malta. Their mobile phones were stolen from Havana around two weeks ago. 

Magistrate Stafrace Zammit put off the case to tomorrow for Mr Tarraso to testify before handing down judgment.

Police Inspector Neville Mercieca prosecuted while lawyer Leontine Calleja was defence counsel.