Off-duty police officer arrests suspect after church thefts

Man caught soon after victims flag missing items

A man was arrested by an off-duty police inspector shortly after a number of people were allegedly robbed in Żurrieq, the police said.

In a statement on Friday, the police said a 50-year old Somali man who lives in Paola was arrested after a number of people approached the off-duty officer at 8pm on Thursday evening claiming several personal items had gone missing.

The victims said that mobile phones, jackets and a bag had gone missing while they were at Żurrieq Parish Church.

They gave the inspector a description of the man, indicating that shortly before they had “noticed him behaving suspiciously inside the church”.

The inspector immediately began searching for the individual and spotted him walking along Blue Grotto Avenue where he was arrested.

The items allegedly stolen a short while earlier were found in his possession.

The officer called for assistance, and the man was taken to the Police Station, where he is being held for further investigations.

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