A young man was this morning jailed for four years and six months after admitting to 14 counts of theft.
Oivend Xuereb, 26, of Floriana, last week admitted to the thefts only to retract his guilty plea later.
Police Inspector Chris Pullicino last week said that Mr formed part of a larger circle of theft, over which four men had already been arraigned.
The inspector said the accused had the beginnings of a drug problem and was already in prison for stealing a car.
This morning Mr Xuereb refused the assistance of a lawyer and admitted to the thefts
Magistrate Neville Camilleri sent a recommendation to the Prisons Director to allow Mr Xuereb to follow a drug rehabilation programme.