Couple in alleged prostitution ruse involved in €6,000 shop heist, court told
The pair were arrested in a St Julian's hotel less than 24 hours after the alleged burglary
A couple involved in an alleged prostitution ruse were arrested in a St Julian’s hotel room on Friday night, less than 24 hours after allegedly carrying out a €6,000 confectionery shop heist in Kalkara.
Mariana Attard, 35, from Cospicua and Nurton Borg, 30, from Pietà, allegedly forced their way into the shop on Thursday evening, making off with around €3,000 in cash and a similar value in tobacco products.
The pair appeared in court on Saturday in connection with the alleged theft.
Attard is also facing separate charges of involvement in a prostitution scam, where she is alleged to have tricked two men into believing she was a prostitute, only to then demand money from them with Borg’s help.
CCTV footage from Thursday night, presented in court, showed Borg entering the area near the confectionery shop and Attard standing nearby, appearing to act as a lookout.
After the shop owner reported the missing money and items from the store, a call was put out to police in St Julian’s and Paceville, who conducted a search of hotels in the area.
A hotel receptionist identified Borg. When police went to his room, they found the couple, items believed to have been taken from the Kalkara store, as well as a substance suspected to be cocaine.
In separate proceedings, Attard is accused of defrauding two men on separate occasions this month.
She is alleged to have told the men she was a prostitute and encouraged them to come to an address in Kalkara.
Once there, she and Borg turned on them and demanded cash, a court was told.
On Saturday, defence lawyers requested bail for both Attard and Borg. A court agreed to allow Attard to return home, subject to a €2,500 deposit and €5,000 personal guarantee. She must also sign a bail book four times a week and remain indoors between 7pm and 7am, the court ruled.
Norton was denied bail at this stage.
Attorney General lawyer Celine Fenech and Inspector Chantelle Mifsud prosecuted the case.
Defence lawyers Franco Debono and Matthew Xuereb appeared for the two accused.