Two Italian men were arrested yesterday over the theft of what is claimed to be €300,000 worth of jewellery when two Italians were held at gunpoint in Gżira on Monday, sources said.

The arrest was made after the police received information that two men, suspected to be the robbers, were seen leaving the area later in an Italian-registered Lancia. The car was tracked down yesterday at about 1 p.m. and the two Italians, who are cousins, were apprehended, the sources said.

The stolen jewellery is not believed to have been recovered.

The alleged hold-up took place along the Gżira Strand at about 11.30 a.m. when the two victims, in an Alfa Romeo, stopped in front of a jewellery shop.

According to the police, the two robbers emerged from their own car carrying firearms, ordered the victims out of their vehicle and took off with their jewellery and their Alfa.

The Alfa was later found in another road in Gżira along with a Mitsubishi. The police believe the robbers used the Mitsubishi to arrive on the scene, then stole the Alfa and drove to the Lancia parked nearby.

They were stopped and arrested near Carter's supermarket in Paola by police in a patrol car.