An Englishman was arrested on Sunday when he walked into the St Paul's Bay police station claiming he had lost his keys shortly after officers had accidentally locked his apartment after a search.

Sources said a Bulgarian national told the police he heard strange noises coming from his bathroom in L-Alka Street, St Paul's Bay. When he went to check what was happening he found a man climbing through his window. On seeing the Bulgarian, the intruder panicked and fell down the two-storey shaft.

The Bulgarian ran to the window and spotted a man lying at the bottom of the shaft, recognising him, the sources added. He then went outdoors calling for help and a man who lives in the vicinity and happened to be walking past, decided to check things out.

The man first had a look down the shaft and then called the police. But the intruder disappeared by the time the police arrived.

The officers established that the intruder lived close to the Bulgarian and when they went to investigate they found the door to his apartment open.

As he was not inside, they left, accidentally closing the door, with the key still in the internal lock. Later in the evening, the Englishman returned to his apartment but could not let himself in. So, with cuts, bruises and dusty clothing, he walked to the police station to report his lost keys.

Immediately cottoning on to what had happened, he was kept waiting until Senior Inspector Paul Bond was informed of his arrival.

The Englishman was lucky to have only been slightly injured in the fall but was nevertheless examined at the Mosta health centre.

He was then taken to the police depot's lock-up where he was questioned.

kbugeja@timesofmalta.com