An unemployed man was remanded in custody on Thursday after pleading not guilty to a string of thefts from vending machines over the past weeks.

Kevin Azzopardi, 45 of Pieta’, was arrested after police intensified surveillance at various locations around Valletta following a spike of thefts at petrol stations and other vending outlets.

Azzopardi was arrested at 2:30am on Thursday at Great Siege Road, Floriana, after police on the beat spotted him near a vending machine at a petrol station, catching him red-handed, prosecuting Inspector Kevin Pulis explained.

Within hours he was escorted to court, pleading not guilty to a series of aggravated thefts.

A request for bail was objected to, primarily since the accused had “night after night, theft after theft” committed the alleged wrongdoing.

Moreover, the man knew who the alleged victims were and this meant that there was a real fear of tampering with evidence.

Legal aid lawyer Christopher Chircop countered that these persons had no reason to change their version and that the accused was still presumed innocent at this stage.

Moreover, bail conditions could adequately counter the prosecution’s fears.

Magistrate Ian Farrugia upheld the prosecution’s objections and turned down the request for bail.

Inspectors Kevin Pulis and Gabriel Micallef prosecuted.

Lawyer Christopher Chircop was legal aid counsel.