Woman's €40,000 life savings in cash stolen in Paola mugging

A woman who kept her life savings in cash rather than in a bank told a court how she was mugged just two weeks before Christmas, losing €40,000.

She was testifying in criminal proceedings against Jonathan Felice, 37, from Qormi, and Ryan Briffa, 35, from Marsa. The two are pleading not guilty to charges including aggravated theft and causing slight injuries.

The woman told the court on Monday how she was on her way to work in Paola when she was robbed. She said she was carrying three bags: one containing work items, another with water and a third containing money.

At one point, someone approached her from behind and grabbed the bag containing the cash. She resisted and attempted to chase the assailant, but did not manage.

A worker carrying out repairs on a lift asked if she needed help and called the police.

The woman said that a man known as il-Kobra, later identified as Simon Busuttil [sic.], went to the police station and asked her what had happened, adding that the police had called him in.

She said he had found her mobile phone, which she only received back days later from a police inspector.

Asked about the money, the woman said it consisted of banknotes kept in a plastic bag inside a black handbag, which also contained her wallet.

“I couldn’t keep the money at home. I always worked and saved money. Sometimes I buy a packet of cigarettes or bread and pay my licence and insurance,” she said.

She explained it was not the first time she had walked to her workplace.

Asked about “Simon”, the woman said she had met him at a każin (band club) in Qormi, where he offered her a beer.

They spent a day together and became friends before the incident. She said he told her he had €30,000 in the bank and she replied that she too had money in the bank.

I couldn’t keep the money at home. I always worked and saved money

On the day of the mugging, she told Simon she would walk to Santa Luċija because it was a beautiful day. On the way, a man stopped his car to ask for a lighter, while a pastizzi shop employee greeted her. She said she knew neither of them.

The woman said she had saved all the money and had closed her bank accounts. She is paid by cheque, which she cashes at the bank against a €5 fee.

Police inspector Lydon Zammit told the court that on December 11, a worker carrying out repairs at a pedestrian bridge on Vjal Sir Paul Boffa, Paola, called the police after hearing a woman screaming for help.

The woman had fallen and was allegedly mugged by an unidentified man, who stole one of her three bags containing €40,000 in cash, her wallet, a mobile phone and personal documents.

The woman was taken to a health centre and later to the police headquarters. Zammit said she had a phobia of leaving her savings at home or in the bank and was known to carry the cash with her.

Mugged in 40 seconds

CCTV footage from a camera over the bridge showed the entire incident lasted about 40 seconds. The woman sustained slight injuries after falling about one storey down the bridge stairs.

She told police she had walked from Birkirkara to Santa Luċija and was mugged near Transport Malta’s offices in Paola.

She added that Simon Aquilina, a man she met three weeks earlier, was meant to drive her to work after finishing his night shift. However, he called her at around 6am saying his vehicle would not start, and she decided to walk, as she had done in the past.

Police later spoke to Aquilina, who denied that his vehicle failed to start, saying instead that he was tired after work and did not feel like driving her. He told police he knew the woman carried her life savings with her, as she had told him so, and said she would sometimes pay for drinks using that money.

CCTV footage

Police analysis of CCTV footage from the pedestrian bridge showed the assailant approaching the woman from behind and going directly for the handbag containing the money before fleeing in the same direction he had come from.

The assailant then drove away in a Maruti Omni van, later found to have been reported stolen from Żabbar in November.

Further footage showed two men were involved: one followed the woman on foot, while the other drove the van, remaining close to the victim throughout. Footage from near the woman’s residence showed the van at around 6am. In Marsa, the driver stopped and the man on foot entered the vehicle through the back door.

Additional CCTV footage showed the two men exiting the vehicle and removing their masks. The men, who are known to police, were identified. The vehicle was later parked in Santa Luċija, where Felice’s mother lives.

The suspects’ call data showed their mobile phones connected to antennas along the route taken by the victim.

The court heard that Briffa was wearing the same clothes seen in the CCTV footage, while shoes allegedly used during the mugging were found at his residence.

Neither the bag nor the money were recovered

Felice was arrested when he went to the Qormi police station, and a sweater he was wearing at the time of the alleged offence was found at his mother’s residence in Santa Luċija.

Inspector Zammit said the woman worked as a cleaner and had told police she always kept her handbag with her, even while cleaning. He added that no connection had emerged between Aquilina, Felice or Briffa, and that neither the bag nor the money had been recovered.

At the end of the sitting, the court ruled there was enough evidence for the two men to stand trial.

Magistrate Leonard Caruana presided over the case.

Attorney general lawyer Marica Ciantar prosecuted, assisted by police inspectors Lydon Zammit, Keith Rizzo and Gabriel Kitcher.

Lawyers José Herrera and David Camilleri appeared for Briffa. Lawyers Edward Gatt and Shaun Zammit appeared for Felice.

Lawyer Edmond Cuschieri appeared parte civile .