Owners of Rolls-Royce, Audi say cars went missing from hotel carpark

The owners of two luxury cars testifying in the case of a man charged with stealing vehicles worth €1 million told a court their Rolls-Royce and Audi S7 had gone missing from the Marriott Hotel car park in Balluta.

They were testifying in criminal proceedings against car dealer Adrian Muscat (known as Galletta), who is accused of money laundering and stealing an Audi S7, a Bentley Continental and a Rolls-Royce Ghost.

He denies the charges.

The owner of the Rolls-Royce took the stand on Wednesday afternoon, explaining that after bringing her car to Malta, she was parking it in the hotel’s carpark since security and surveillance was available in the area.

On February 3, she went to check on the car which had been parked there by a friend. She wanted to take it for a ride after not using it for a week. But the car was nowhere to be found. She went to have a word with the security, but they could not spot the car.

She then went to file a police report at St Julian’s police station.

The woman said she had no idea how the car had been stolen. After she filed the report, her friend was contacted by “Mr Galletta”, and was informed that it had been taken away by mistake and was requested to pick up the car.

The woman explained that she did not know why the car was taken away, and all she knew was that it was some mistake.

“The car is still at the police station,” she said.

Asked if she recognised anyone in the room, the woman said she only recognised her ex-husband’s lawyers. 

The woman’s friend then took the stand.

The man told the court he was dating the owner of the Rolls-Royce, and on February 3, they went for the car but did not find it there.

Then they went to file a report. On the day the police found the car, Muscat contacted him, telling him he wanted to return the car and that it was a mistake.

The witness clarified that Muscat had been his client for years but did not ask the accused where he got his number from.

“I wanted to know where the car was. The conversation was about him having the car and us wanting the vehicle back,” the witness said.

'Cars were towed'

The owner of the Audi S7 explained that his car was also parked at the Marriott Hotel car park.

He said the police had informed his cousin that the car had been found.

The man’s cousin testified that the owner of the Audi brought the car to Malta, still bearing foreign registration plates, which had to be eventually registered in his name.

The witness remarked that a more expensive car with Maltese registration plates belonging to him, and which was parked next to the Audi S7, was not taken away.

From the security camera footage, it emerged that the Audi S7 was towed away by someone who was not authorised to do so.

A police constable testified that on February 3, he was on his night shift when the owner of the Rolls-Royce walked in to file a report that her car was no longer where it had been parked.

It transpired that the car had been towed away by a third party.

A sergeant added that the car had been towed away sometime between 4pm and 4.30pm on February 2.

The officer spoke to the tow truck owner, Noel Sultana, who said the car was taken to Triq l-Mdina in Żebbuġ.

The police went to patrol the area, but the car was not found there.

The owner of the tow truck said the job was done on behalf of a caller and provided them with the number of Adrian Muscat.

The investigating inspector was informed.

The case continues later this month.

Magistrate Leonard Caruana presided.

AG lawyer Luigi Gulia prosecuted, alongside police inspector Shawn Pawney. 

Lawyers Franco Debono and Matthew Xuereb appeared for the accused. Lawyers Charles Mercieca and John Refalo appeared parte civile.