Five foreigners were yesterday charged with involvement in 28 break-ins since 2014 after a vigorous undercover police operation “solved” the wave of thefts plaguing the island.

Four men and a woman – from Poland, Georgia, Lithuania and Kyrgyztan – were charged with involvement in 15 burglaries carried out this year and another 13 in 2014. These were mainly carried out in the Sliema area, with a few taking place in St Paul’s Bay and Pietà.

Addressing a press conference, Police Commissioner Michael Cassar said the police had conducted a “massive” undercover operation that involved several departments, including the criminal investigation department, the drugs squad and even the traffic section.

At least 30 officers were being stationed in Sliema at any given time, the majority of whom were in plain clothes to try and nab the culprits, he said.

Suspects traced to Qawra apartment

“I am glad to say that, with these arrests, we have solved all the break-ins carried out in the Sliema area this year as well as a large number in 2014,” Mr Cassar said, adding that about 35 burglaries had been reported last year.

Police Commissioner Michael Cassar at yesterday’s press conference. Photo: Matthew Mirabelli

Kartlos Dolaberidze, 41, from Georgia; Krzysztof Tadeusz Latocha, 30, from Poland; Algidras Sliogeris, 49, believed to be from Lithuania; Adilet Shakirgazieva, 27, from Kyrgyzstan and Mate Oniani, 25, from Georgia were charged with forming part of an organised criminal gang and handling stolen property.

Not all of them were charged with committing the actual burglaries.

They were remanded in custody after their request for bail was refused.

Mr Cassar said the five had been traced to a Qawra apartment in Andrew Cunningham Street after undercover officers spotted two of them on a Buġibba bus stop. Their appearance matched descriptions and stills taken from CCTV footage of previous break-ins.

In the apartment, the police found the three other accused and about 50 wrist watches, loose jewellery and an undisclosed sum of money. Several tools and bump keys believed to have been used to break into homes were also found stowed away in the flat.

Details on the police operation as well as the methods employed by the thieves were limited with Mr Cassar saying he did not want to give any other thieves any tips on how they could try to commit crime undetected.

I am glad to say that, with these arrests, we have solved all the break-ins carried out in the Sliema area this year

Asked whether the arrests were just the tip of the iceberg, Mr Cassar said they were “a large percentage” of the organised network operating on the island but the police knew others were still at large.

Mr Cassar said the police were in touch with their European counterparts and Europol because the methods used by the five suspects tallied with those used in a wave of thefts across Europe.

“Malta is not alone in experiencing this recent phenomenon. Finland, for instance, is experiencing 50 thefts a day using the exact same methods,” Mr Cassar said.

“This is an extremely difficult crime to solve. We are dealing with organised networks stretching across Europe, using expertise and moving before they are caught,” he said.