A woman who allegedly made off with cash in two armed robberies within the space of a few hours on Saturday was remanded in custody upon arraignment on Monday.

Miriam Elabed, a 30-year old unemployed Marsascala resident, was tracked down as the knife-wielding thief who first held up a shop attendant at a Marsascala convenience store at around 2.30pm and some three hours later repeated her act at a gaming parlour in Marsa.

A video posted on social media had captured the suspect as she barged into the first shop, armed with a knife, demanding cash and a bag in which to take the money.

While police were investigating that armed robbery, news of a second armed hold-up emerged.

However in that second hold-up at a gaming parlour in Marsa, persons who happened to witness the incident intervened and managed to hold the thief until the police arrived.

Footage from the alleged crime scenes confirmed that the suspect was Elabed in both cases, duty Magistrate Marse-Ann Farrugia heard when the woman, right eye bandaged, was escorted to court under arrest.

She pleaded not guilty to a raft of charges relating to aggravated theft, unlawfully holding a number of victims against their will, causing them to fear violence and carrying a knife without the necessary police licence.

She was also charged with slightly injuring a man as well as breaching two previous bail decrees and a probation order handed down in August.

Her legal aid lawyer made no request for bail at the arraignment stage.

AG lawyer Nadia Ciappara prosecuted together with Inspectors Stephen Gulia, Shawn Pawney and Sarah Kathleen Zerafa.