The police vs burglars

Reference is being made to the editorial on burglaries (‘Managing the risks of home burglaries’, March 10).

All said is the truth but, please, allow me to express myself as a resident.

As far as I know, there is no neighbourhood watch in our area. Having said that, I am and have always been very vigilant as to what I see around here. I have done things others would call crazy or even sometimes intrusive.

A few examples:

1. I have stopped individuals taking photos of properties around this area. I have actually made them delete photos taken.

2. Persons in parked cars for a long time raise suspicion and it is not the first time I ask if they needed help or whether they were waiting for someone.

Police patrolling streets in Valletta. Photo: Shutterstock.com

3. I have been reporting three commercial vans, one of which has a crane-type accessory attached to it, for months on end. These vans are illegally parked outside in the night, plus they tend to be suspicious too.

4. Every time I call the police, I always get the same stupid reply: “At the moment, we do not have an available car to tend to you because they are out on more important cases”, or “I am sorry but the community police begin work at 9am.”

The police ask such silly, out-of-point and offensive questions they make us feel we are the criminals. They think they are above the law. They act as if they are lawyers when they are not.

They are there to listen to us and help us immediately, not when there is nothing to see because they would have turned up hours later.

Things cannot improve if this unprofessional attitude persists and, as we are seeing, things will only get worse. These burglars know exactly how everything functions in Malta. We are very easy prey.

The police do not help enough. Why? I leave that for readers to answer (although, I know why).

These smart burglars have done their homework very well before landing here. They also know that, if caught (something very difficult to happen), they will get away with just a slap on the wrist.

Another thing that worries me is how these burglars know exactly where to strike. I wonder.

Bottom line is: it all depends on the police.

Anna Grima – Swieqi 

Churchill’s stand on Malta

Further to George Vital Zammit’s sublime article (‘Appeasement reimagined’, March 5), it would interest the Maltese to know that, even before Italy joined Hitler in the war, Churchill was determined to fight for Malta.

In the late 1930s, meeting in the War Office, in London, in the presence of the French president, Churchill, not yet prime minister, and his colleagues were discussing how difficult it would be in case Mussolini chose to be a party with Germany.

With Sicily only some 60 miles away from Malta, it would be extremely difficult for the allies to supply food, ammunition and fuel to an island surrounded by mines.

Malta was doomed.

In that case, the idea went round that Mussolini could be encouraged to join the allies in the war, provided Britain ceded Malta to Italy. To which Churchill promptly answered: “If Mussolini wants Malta, he would have to fight for it.”

Thomas Zerafa – Naxxar