Homeless man who stole from Lidl jailed for four months
Police arrested the 26-year-old in Floriana after spotting him in a car
A 26-year-old homeless man has been jailed for four months after admitting to theft, breaching bail conditions and living a vagrant life.
Isaac Grech, who is from Pietà but has no fixed address, pleaded guilty in court on Tuesday. He was charged with stealing €232.94 worth of products from a Lidl outlet in Santa Venera in January.
The court heard that after that initial arrest in January, Grech also breached bail conditions by failing to sign a bail book at a police station on several occasions between January and April this year.
Police had difficulty locating him due to his lack of a fixed residence.
He was eventually spotted in a car in Floriana, where he was arrested on the spot.
Grech was also charged with living an “idle and vagrant life”, an offence under Malta’s Criminal Code liable to two months imprisonment.
The law punishing vagrancy was introduced in 1854 and last amended in 1918.
The magistrate sentenced Grech to four months in prison and a €100 fine.
The magistrate presiding was Elaine Rizzo.
Inspector Sarah Kathleen Zerafa prosecuted.
Amadius Cachia and Ishmael Psaila appeared for the defence.