A 72-year-old man was hospitalised on Thursday after he was hit by a hard object during a scuffle with a thief.
His condition is not yet known.
The police said the incident happened at around 6.45am in Triq ix-Xatt, Msida.
The thief, who was carrying a knife, approached the victim as he was opening a tobacco store, and demanded he hands over the cash register. The victim, a resident of Naxxar, resisted and in the scuffle was hit on the head by a hard object.
He was assisted by a medical team on site before being transferred to hospital.
The thief escaped and a search is under way.
An inquiry is being held.