A man who on Tuesday allegedly tried to snatch a woman’s handbag on a busy Ta’ Xbiex Street, was remanded in custody on Thursday after he was tracked down by police and arraigned. 

Daniele Aquilina, a 26-year old Ta’ Xbiex resident, was escorted to court under arrest, pleading not guilty to theft-related charges and to breaching previous court orders. 

Prosecuting Inspectors Fabian Fleri, Lydon Zammit and Colin Sheldon charged the man with attempting to snatch the woman’s handbag, slightly injuring her before his efforts were thwarted by the intervention of a third party, alerted by the victim’s screams.

After that first botched attempt, some fifteen minutes later at around 7:45am, the suspect, allegedly hooded and armed with a knife, had held up a number of people at a nearby café on Abate Rigord Street.

The man was charged with having allegedly held his victims against their will as well as carrying a weapon without the necessary police licence.

He was further charged with another handbag theft in Gzira that allegedly took place in the very early hours of December 14.

Other charges related to his alleged misappropriation of a Volkswagen Passat since November 1 up to his arrest, as well as breaching a suspended sentence and other court orders. 

The man, who was also charged with recidivism, pleaded not guilty and was remanded in custody.

No request for bail was made at this stage.

Lawyers Franco Debono and Gianluca Caruana Curran were defense counsel.