A man called at a police station to hand in a wallet he found in the street only after taking cash and attempting to use a bank card he found in it, a court was told on Tuesday.

Lulzim Sharka, 37, found the wallet containing some €120 in cash as well as a bank card. On Monday night he tried to use the card to withdraw more cash from an ATM in Republic Street, Valletta.

When his attempt failed he went to Valletta police station and handed over the wallet and the bank card, but minus the cash, the court was told.

Later, when confronted by the police about the missing money, he handed over €110, explaining that he had used €10 to buy cigarettes and food.

The man was marched to court on Tuesday where he admitted to the attempted theft from the ATM and the theft of the €10 from the victim’s wallet.

Prosecuting Inspector Priscilla Caruana Lee pointed out that the court needed to send out a message that “foreigners should not come to Malta and commit such crimes.”

Legal aid counsel Ishmael Psaila countered that the punishment had to fit the crime, adding that there was to be no distinction just because the accused happened to be a foreigner.

Magistrate Caroline Farrugia Frendo declared the accused guilty upon his own admission and condemned him to a 14-month prison term suspended for two years