A couple who stole several donation boxes and committed a string of other thefts were today sentenced to 18 months imprisonment suspended for three years and placed on probation for three years.

Sandra Grixti, 26, from Zurrieq and Christian Said, 31, from Fgura, both unemployed, admitted to stealing the donation boxes and to other thefts over a period of three months.

Apart from the suspended jail term, Magistrate Gabriella Vella ordered Mr Said's rearrest and jailed him for two months after she found him guilty of breaching bail. She also ordered him to pay up the €5,000 personal guarantee he had pledged to be granted bail over another case. The court heard he has a drug addiction problem.

The couple was arrested after they grabbed a donation box from a lotto office in Zebbug and fled last Tuesday. The donation box was collecting funds for Moviment Missjunarju Gesu fil-Proxxmu.

The previous day, they stole an Inspire donation box while a day before that, at 6.15am, they stole a handbag containing cash and a chequebook from a butcher in Kalkara.

They also pleaded guilty to stealing yet another donation box, this time of the Breast Cancer Awareness Group from a shop in Zabbar in October 22 and with stealing cash from a Mercedes parked in Zabbar on October 13.

They also stole a Mission Fund donation box from a shop in Birkirkara and another Inspire donation box from another shop an hour later.

Police Inspectors Josric Mifsud, Joseph Mercieca and Roderick Agius prosecuted while lawyers Noel Bianco, Silvio Brincat and Yanika Bugeja appeared for the accused.

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