A cleaner who stole jewellery from a house belonging to her employer has been jailed for almost one year after admitting to the crime.

Shobha Guru, a 37-year-old married Indian national, was arrested on Tuesday, just over a year since the precious items went missing.

The incident came to police attention in September 2023, when they received a report of people at an abandoned residence in San Gwann.

Officers found various silver items at the house. They then tracked down the property owners, a family living in St Julian’s that employed Guru as their maid.

The couple's daughter called the suspect, saying that she wanted to speak to her about the missing valuables. Guru went to her bosses' home and admitted she stole a ring and bracelet, handing them back to the family.

But when police tried to track down the suspect, they were unable to do so until last Tuesday, when she was finally arrested at St Paul's Bay.

On Wednesday, Guru was charged with aggravated theft, handling stolen property and not being in possession of valid residency documents. After consulting her legal aid lawyer, the woman registered an admission.

The court, presided over by Magistrate Joseph Gatt, informed the accused that the parties had agreed to an 11-month effective jail term in case she admitted. That punishment fell within legal parameters and was adequate.

After given time to reconsider, the accused confirmed her guilty plea and was handed that punishment.

AG lawyer Miryea Mifsud and police inspector Daryl Farr prosecuted.

Lawyer Yanika Bugeja was legal aid counsel.