Former prisoner Fabio Psaila, 28, is wanted by the police in connection with the botched hold-up on a jeweller in Attard last Friday.

The police yesterday asked for the public’s cooperation to locate Mr Psaila, saying he was sought in connection with the investigation of a “serious crime”.

Although the police did not specify which crime he was wanted for, sources confirmed he was a suspect in connection with the hold-up.

On Friday night, three hooded men attacked a jeweller and his son outside their home in Attard but the son managed to snatch the sawn-off shotgun carried by one of the men and shot another one of the would-be robbers in the leg.

Two of the assailants made a quick getaway in a white van that was later found on fire in the vicinity but the wounded man, Darren Debono, was taken to hospital under arrest, where he is still receiving treatment.

“His leg is full of pellets but it doesn’t look like it will need to be amputated,” sources told The Times, adding that the police had not yet been able to question him comprehensively over the incident since he was still in hospital.

“Then again, these are the most hardened of criminals. It’s unlikely we will get any information out of them,” police sources added.

This is not the first time Mr Debono had a brush with death. Last June he allegedly took part in a foiled bank robbery at HSBC in Qormi which turned into a shootout with police.

Although he managed to flee the scene, he was later intercepted when he went to a clinic for treatment with a bullet lodged in his jaw.

He was eventually – and controversially – released on bail together with Vince Muscat, also charged with taking part in the botched bank robbery. However, police sources said Mr Muscat was currently not a suspect in the Attard hold-up.

Mr Psaila was also questioned over the HSBC attempted robbery but was not charged.

Over the past few years Mr Psaila, who is said to live in Ħamrun, has faced charges of car theft and handling stolen goods. He was jailed for four years by a Sicilian court for drug trafficking in 2002 but was last April cleared by a Maltese court of stealing a car in 1998.

The police do not suspect he had fled the island. Those who have any information on his whereabouts should phone 119 and their confidentiality will be respected.

Sources said there were currently no other suspects in connection with the case but investigations were still under way.