Two teens who stole €500 from a wallet left unattended on an armchair outside a St Julian's massage parlour, were on Wednesday handed a suspended sentence.
The incident was reported on Sunday afternoon. Investigators identified the suspects with the help of CCTV footage, and the two were arrested on Tuesday.
Thomieres Jean Marc Cedric and Ramel Clement Matthieu, 19-year-old French nationals who told court they were a gardener and a student respectively, were escorted to court on Wednesday afternoon.
Assisted by a legal aid lawyer, the pair admitted to the solitary charge of theft aggravated by the amount of the stolen cash.
Court was told the money had already been spent by the accused.
Upon admission, the court presided over by magistrate Caroline Farrugia Frendo, condemned the two to a two-year jail term suspended for four years.
The court also ordered them to reimburse the victim who was safeguarded by means of a restraining order imposed on the accused.
AG lawyer Clive Aquilina and inspector Roderick Attard prosecuted.
Lawyer Brandon Kirk Muscat was defence counsel.