A man was on Thursday charged with a spate of petrol station thefts, which he allegedly committed alongside a woman who was arraigned on Wednesday. He was remanded in custody after pleading not guilty.

Stephen Galea, 40, currently unemployed and with no fixed address, was targeted as the suspect whose image was identified on CCTV footage which had also shown the woman and a particular vehicle.

Investigators zoomed in on the man, matching his identity to the image in the footage.

A search of the man’s car had also yielded a screwdriver and other tools purportedly used in break-ins, prosecuting Inspector Roderick Agius informed the court.

The man was charged with six aggravated thefts from petrol stations in various localities, willful damage to third party property and the possession of certain items for which he could not offer a plausible explanation.

He was further charged with breaching bail and with being a relapser.

The thefts took place between May 16 and July 9 at Paola, Żabbar, Attard, Qormi, St Paul’s Bay and Mellieħa.

A request for bail was strongly objected to by the prosecution since several civilian witnesses were still to testify and the man had no fixed residence, having told investigators that he “slept in his car”.

It was only during the arraignment that he claimed to have permission to reside at a place which Inspector Agius described as not habitable.

“The police have checked this place and it was not even fit for mice,” the Inspector stressed, adding that the man had already been granted bail earlier on.

“He needs help. He needs someone to guide him and help him get back on his feet. Should he be returned to society today, it would not solve his problems,” Inspector Agius insisted.

The court, presided over by magistrate Nadine Lia, after hearing submissions by both parties, turned down the request for bail since the main witness was still to testify, evidence had to be preserved and no residential address had been put forward.

Lawyer Graziella Tanti was legal aid counsel.