A homeless woman with a serious drug problem wept in court as she was remanded in custody after pleading not guilty to theft on Tuesday afternoon.

Investigations concerning Bernice Decelis, 34, started last year following a report on October 12 about gold items having gone missing from her mother’s Sta Venera home.

Months later, police received another report about theft from a car parked in Triq Bajjada, Marsa on January 25.

Footage from that area showed a woman making off with a bag containing cash and fruit from the vehicle, explained prosecuting Inspector Mark Cremona.

That woman was subsequently identified as Decelis.

She was arrested on Monday.  

During her interrogation, she fully cooperated and admitted that she had resorted to theft as well as prostitution so as to fuel her drug addiction, the inspector testified. 

But on Tuesday, the slight-framed woman, dressed all in black, pleaded not guilty to both instances of aggravated theft as well as breaching bail conditions.

Her lawyer, Daniel Attard, did not request bail but requested the court, presided over by Magistrate Monica Vella, to direct the prisons director to afford the accused all necessary help so as to overcome her addiction.

As the hearing came to an end, the accused broke down, saying that she felt helpless and lost.

Inspector Elisia Scicluna also prosecuted.