'Night intruder' charged with stealing from hotel rooms

A couple of guests in a St Julians' hotel yesterday told a court how they woke up on Saturday night to find an intruder in their room and later learnt he had jumped in through the balcony from another guest's neighbouring room.

American born Jusuha Stormen and his German girlfriend Julia Trenz were asleep in room 116 at the Alexandra Hotel when they woke up and saw a figure in the room.

The couple later learnt that the man, whom they identified as Gianluca Torres, entered their room by jumping over into their balcony from the balcony of room 117 occupied by Dutchman Richard Nouters. They testified with urgency in the arraignment of Italian Mr Torres, 32, who pleaded not guilty to trying to steal from the two rooms on Saturday night and stealing from the same two rooms on July 31.

Magistrate Anthony Vella heard Mr Stormen explain how he woke up to see a figure in the room.

"I was not sure what it was as the light was off and, having just woken up, my senses were not sharp. I saw that there was someone standing against the wall and I was scared. I woke my girlfriend up and by the time we turned on the lights the man had disappeared into the bathroom."

The couple tried to call the front desk or the police for help, as they did not know if the man was armed, but the phone did not work.

The couple then moved into the balcony, from where they suspected the man must have entered their room, and closed the door so that there would be some form of barrier between them and the intruder.

When they were on the balcony the intruder walked out of the bathroom and that was when they saw his face and recognised him to be the accused.

On the balcony they called for help and Mr Nouters, who was staying in room 117, was already in his balcony as the intruder had been in his room earlier.

Mr Nouters called for help and the hotel security arrested the man.

Mr Torres was remanded in police custody.