A thief who snatched a $10,000 Rolex wristwatch from its wearer in Sliema last year was handed a suspended sentence on Wednesday while his alleged accomplice was acquitted.

Daniele Landolfi, 31 and Francesco Tanzi, 38, both Italian nationals, had been accused of a snatch-and-grab incident that took place on Dingli Street at around noon when the victim and his girlfriend had just stepped out of a restaurant.

The victim later recounted how the couple had emerged from the restaurant to find two motorbike riders, wearing helmets and sunglasses, right outside, one of them ‘pretending to ring a doorbell.”

Someone shoved him as he was crossing the street, snapping the watch off his wrist as he tried to react, then joined his accomplice on a white motorbike.

As the two suspects drove away, the victim’s girlfriend managed to take down the licence number of the getaway bike.

That number together with CCTV footage from the crime scene led investigators to the two suspects who were subsequently charged with criminal conspiracy, aggravated theft, driving without a valid insurance cover as well as relapsing.

Both pleaded not guilty.

Pending proceedings, the stolen watch was returned to its owner who, thus, declared that he had no further interest in pursuing the matter in court.

The prosecution presented evidence showing that the motorbike in the footage was the same one driven by Landolfi, whose clothes also appeared to be identical to those worn by the suspect thief.

Magistrate Caroline Farrugia Frendo, observed that the only direct piece of evidence was the ‘motorino’, leased from a rental company by a third party who had signed the papers under the false name of “Giuseppe Viscardi.”

Tanzi, who had accompanied this third party but had signed no document, protested his innocence all along, claiming that he had simply gone along to rent the bike but had no knowledge of its use in the alleged mugging.

The court noted that the prosecution had failed to prove that Tanzi was actually at the scene of the crime. Nor had it brought evidence, such as phone messages, to prove his involvement as accomplice, thus concluding that the “common design” had not been proven.

The evidence showed a clear link between Landolfi and the theft, said the court, noting that the bike registration plate seen on the CCTV stills was the same as that of the getaway bike driven by Landolfi.

But the other suspect allegedly involved in the mugging could not be identified and had not been arraigned in relation to the theft.

As for the aggravating factor of recidivism, the prosecution had produced no copies of convictions but only a document issued by Eurojust which indicated that both accused had a clean criminal record.

The court thus cleared Tanzi of all criminal liability whilst declaring Landolfi guilty of theft, aggravated by value. He was condemned to a 2-year jail term suspended for four years.

Inspectors Fabian Fleri, Lydon Zammit and Jonathan Ransley prosecuted.

Lawyer Roberto Montalto was counsel to Landolfi.

Lawyers Ezekiel Psaila and Dustin Camilleri were counsel to Tanzi.