A man who admitted to stealing €300 in cash from a Floriana shop on Wednesday, was granted bail upon his arraignment on Thursday.

The 58-year old Valletta resident, whose name cannot be published by court order, entered the shop at around 1.30pm, grabbed the cash on the counter and rushed back out, driving away in a car.

The police tracked down the car and eventually arrested the suspect, who was wearing the same clothes as the thief seen on CCTV footage from the crime scene.

He was charged with theft, attacking and violently resisting two police officers, insulting and threatening them at the time of arrest, refusing to obey orders, breaching the peace and recidivism.

Magistrate Yana Micallef Stafrace upheld a request by the accused’s lawyers for a pre-sentencing report and granted him bail against a personal guarantee of €5,000 and on condition of signing the bail book once weekly.

She also ordered the accused to reimburse the €300 to the shop owner. 

Inspectors Kevin Pulis and Daryl Borg prosecuted.

Lawyers Arthur Azzopardi and Leslie Cuschieri were defence counsel.