A thieving duo caught red-handed with a television set they had stolen from a private home have been jailed for 78 months between them and ordered that they forfeit €28,000 in bail guarantees. 

Philianne Ceci, 35, and Jon Lawrence Formosa, 24, were discovered inside the Pieta’ home of an antiques dealer after neighbours called police to report suspicious movements.

It was around 1.30pm on November 28, last year when members of the Rapid Intervention Unit raided the premises and found the two culprits inside, dismantling the wires of a television set.

Inside their getaway car - a grey Fiat Punto registered in the name of the mother of one of the accused - they found jewellery, a boxful of watches, imitation pistols, a laptop and a tablet, which was locked and which responded to a password revealed by the owner’s son.

The pair were charged with aggravated theft, voluntary damage to third party property and three separate breaches of bail.

During the proceedings, eyewitnesses from the neighbourhood testified that their suspicions had been raised when they saw two unfamiliar persons, one wearing a black coat and a hoodie, kicking open the front door of their neighbour’s house.

One of these eyewitnesses had even filmed the whole scene on his mobile as the door had not opened with the first kick and needed a second, more forceful one to open. 

Police officers testified that Ms Ceci had kicked up a fuss when the owner of the house arrived on the scene, pleading with him for forgiveness and reminding him of the times when he had allegedly sought out her sister and herself for prostitution purposes.

Her partner-in-crime had adopted a calmer approach, dozing off in the police car and later at the police station before being transferred to the lockup.

When releasing his statement to the police, the man had admitted to having taken items from the house which were not his, insisting, however, that he had entered the residence in search of his own laptop and tablet which he had allegedly handed over as security for repayment of cash borrowed from the dealer.

Ms Ceci insisted that she was familiar with the owner of the residence and that she had had sex with him three times and that he had handed her his business card. 

However the court, presided over by magistrate Donatella Frendo Dimech, pointed out that “even if the man had given her his business card, that mere fact did not imply that he was willing to lend her money,” concluding that there was not a trace of truth in the versions of both accused.

The two had made up the whole story in an attempt to explain their presence inside the house, the court observed, reaching the conclusion that the prosecution had proved its case beyond reasonable doubt.

In the light of all circumstances, taking into consideration the “voluminous criminal record” of the co-accused, the court declared them guilty and decided upon an effective prison sentence since the two had wasted every opportunity granted earlier to mend their ways.

The court therefore condemned Ms Ceci to a jail term of 34 months and a forfeiture of €16,520 in bail guarantees. Mr Formosa was handed a 44-month jail term and a forfeiture of €11,520 for breaching bail conditions.

The two were slapped with an additional bill of €2022.65 between them in respect of court expenses.

The Fiat Punto was spared confiscation since it had not been proved that its owner knew of its use in the robberies.