Alleged thief took luxury cars for 'safekeeping' after owner died, court hears

A car dealer accused of stealing Audi, Bentley and Rolls-Royce vehicles worth an estimated €1 million has told police he removed the luxury vehicles because he thought their owner had died.

Autodealer Adrian Muscat, also known as Galletta, was testifying in court Friday as part of ongoing proceedings following the vehicles’ alleged theft from the Marriott Hotel car park in Balluta earlier this month.

Muscat stands accused of money laundering and stealing an Audi S7, a Bentley Continental and a Rolls-Royce Ghost.

He claimed in court that he removed the vehicles for safekeeping while the deceased man's children were travelling to Malta. It later transpired that only one of the vehicles belonged to the deceased.

CCTV footage obtained by police shows a tow truck taking one of the vehicles away at around 4pm on February 2, with police establishing that Muscat had requested MET towing services to take away two cars on that day.

One of the towed vehicles, the Bentley, was registered to one Ibrahim Halim, who was reported missing and later found dead at Park Towers in St Julian’s. The Rolls-Royce was towed the same day. Muscat also stands accused of the theft of the Audi.

The police found one of the stolen vehicles outside the man’s showroom, and two other vehicles in a field.

At the same time as the police were looking for the missing cars, a friend of one of the owners was also searching for the Rolls-Royce. It later emerged that the accused had agreed with the owner’s friend to return the car, but postponed the meeting.

The following day, the accused turned up at police headquarters.

Police inspector Shawn Pawney explained that Muscat “cooperated fully” and told police he had “heard” Halim had died, with Muscat deciding to take care of his cars for when the deceased’s children came to Malta from abroad.

“We found that some of the vehicles that are registered on Ibrahim Halim had been taken,” Pawney explained, adding that there is a separate investigation into this.

However, a “friend of Muscat” took two cars that were registered on Halim, according to the inspector’s testimony on what the accused said during his interrogation.

Muscat tried to return the stolen vehicles, but the towing company refused to take them away once delivered.

Under cross-examination by defence lawyer Franco Debono, Pawney confirmed that three other vehicles registered on Halim had also been taken, but by third parties. The inspector underlined that Muscat referred to “my friend” when saying who took some of Halim’s cars.

At the end of the sitting, the defence requested that Muscat’s curfew be changed from 9pm to midnight and that the man sign the bail book only two times per week instead of every day.

The prosecution said they expected the defence to bring forward evidence as to why there should be such amendments to the stringent bail conditions, which were imposed to reflect the seriousness of the alleged offences.

The court is set to rule from chambers on the matter.

The court also ruled that there were enough reasons at law for the man to face trial.

Magistrate Leonard Caruana presided.

AG lawyer Luigi Gulia prosecuted, alongside police inspector Shawn Pawney.

Lawyers Franco Debono and Matthew Xuereb appeared for the accused. Lawyers Charles Mercieca and John Refalo appeared parte civile.