Two plainclothes police officers deployed to curb pick-pocketing scored a success on Tuesday when they arrested a teenager, who pleaded guilty to attempted theft.
Magistrate Charmaine Galea heard that the Bulgaria-born Asya Georgieva Stancheva, 19, holder of a Romanian passport, was arrested when the officers saw her opening a woman’s handbag while alighting from a public bus close to the Preluna Hotel in Sliema.
The policemen identified themselves and arrested the girl.
Ms Stancheva was sentenced to a month in prison.
Police Inspector Jason Sultana prosecuted.
Lawyer Benjamin Valenzia appeared for the woman as legal aid.