A man who was arrested on Saturday shortly after allegedly stealing from two vehicles in Paola has been jailed for 18 months after pleading guilty upon his arraignment on Monday.

Baba Bah, a 32-year old Mali national, was escorted to court to face charges over the two alleged thefts that took place within the space of a quarter of an hour early on Saturday afternoon. 

When members of the Rapid Intervention Unit arrived at Ghajn Dwieli Road, following a call for help, they came across a woman who claimed to have just been robbed by two strangers. 

Officers scouring the area soon spotted a man who appeared to fit the description of one of the suspects.

Sensing police presence, the man took to his heels but was arrested shortly afterwards and taken into custody.

On Monday, he was charged with two separate instances of aggravated theft by violence. 

A mobile phone was reported stolen at 12.30pm from a Ford Transit parked on Triq Qalb ta’ Gesu’.

At 12:45pm the suspected thief made off with a bag, together with a wallet, cash, personal documents, a pair of spectacles and a mobile phone belonging to the female owner of a Toyota vehicle. 

The accused was also charged with committing the offences after being conditionally discharged last month.

He was also charged with relapsing.

The man registered an admission and was condemned to an 18-month effective jail term by the court, presided over by magistrate Charmaine Galea.

Inspector Sarah Zerafa prosecuted.Lawyer Joseph Bonnici was legal aid counsel.