Three remanded over €18,000 Gżira burglary spree
One charged with holding a person at knifepoint; two repeat offenders identified through CCTV footage
Three men were remanded in custody on Friday after being charged with stealing more than €18,000 in a series of aggravated thefts.
The accused are 20-year-old Eritrean Fanuel Madhanie, who faces a separate charge of holding a person at knifepoint against their will and 48-year-old Paul Michael Kavanagh, who has several pending court cases and previously pleaded not guilty to the 2010 theft of €100,000 worth of jewellery from Classic Jewellers in St. Julian's.
The third co-accused is Alexander Anthony Gianze Whiteford, a 43-year-old British national who has a 55-page criminal record.
The men were also charged with breaching bail conditions and recidivism. All three pleaded not guilty.
The first theft was reported to the police between June 10 and June 11 by the owners of an apartment in Gżira, which was burgled while they were out. Thieves made off with around €18,000 worth of electronic equipment, perfumes, and handbags.
On June 17, police were informed of another robbery, identifying Madhanie as the indivudal who allegedly held an Indian national at knifepoint to allegedly steal €180 off him in a Gżira garden.
During a patrol in the area, police found Madhanie sleeping on a bench in the same garden and arrested him. On the same day the other two suspects were arrested after being identified through CCTV footage. Both were already known to the police.
During their interrogation, all three men refused to cooperate with the police.
Bail was not requested and the men were remanded in custody.
Magistrate Marse-Anne Farrugia presided over the court.
The prosecution was led by Inspectors Stephen Gulia and Christina Desira assisted by Lawyer Krista Spiteri Lucas on behalf of the Attorney General.
Lawyer Ishmael Psaila appeared for Whiteford while Lawyer Silvan Pulis represented the other two co-accused.