A 30-year-old man was arrested after investigators linked him to a string of thefts, including a stolen car and a break-in at a Rabat clothes shop.
Andreas Buhagiar, a Qormi resident who is currently unemployed, was arrested on Sunday after investigations triggered by a robbery at a Rabat store earlier this month pointed in his direction.
Buhagiar was remanded in custody upon arraignment on Monday.
Prosecuting inspector Roderick Attard explained that investigations started from a vehicle suspected of having been used in the robbery. He said police approached the registered owner of the vehicle, who explained that the car had been stolen.
The vehicle was tracked down in possession of a third party, who was to dismantle it for parts.
Further investigations put investigators on the tracks of Buhagiar, as the suspect behind the car theft, as well as the break-in at the Rabat shop.
Reports of stolen cars, cash register and €900 cash
Upon arraignment, Buhagiar was charged with several aggravated thefts. The first dates back to last September when he allegedly stole a Toyota Vitz from St Paul’s Bay.
In October, he allegedly stole tools from a garage in Qormi, and he allegedly stole another car, a Toyota Townace from another street in the locality.
That same night, a cash register, money, and packets of cigarettes were also reported stolen from a food truck parked in Qormi.
The following morning, the suspect allegedly stole the registration plates of a Chevrolet in Qormi.
Four months later, some €900 was reported stolen from the Rabat shop in the early hours of February 3.
The man was also charged with wilful damage to third-party property, breaching three separate baul decrees as well as committing the alleged offenses while under a temporary supervision order.
The accused pleaded not guilty.
The defence made no request for bail at the arraignment stage and the court, presided over by magistrate Marse-Ann Farrugia, remanded him in custody.
AG lawyer Giuliana Magro Conti together with Inspectors Roderick Attard, Joseph Mallia, Francesca Maria Calleja and John Sammut prosecuted.
Lawyer Yanika Bugeja was defence counsel.