A man has described the terrifying moment a hooded man pointed a gun at his forehead as he was relaxing at a beach on Monday afternoon.

Joseph Galea and a friend were in Pembroke when two hooded men approached them, one ordering him to hand over his money at gunpoint.

Galea said: “Initially we thought it was a prank. But then one of the men ran towards me and brought a gun out from under the large scarf that was covering his head and upper body. The man continued to shout something at me. Then he loaded the gun. His scarf fell off. I could see his face. His mouth was trembling. It looked like he was on drugs.” 

Galea told Times of Malta that he and an Italian friend had gone to the beach at around 3pm.  There they met two other friends and went for a swim. Half an hour later, Galea decided to get out of the sea and sat on the rocks talking to his friends who remained in the sea. 

The gun seized from an armed robber. Photo: Malta Police

They then noticed two people, with their heads and upper body covered in large scarves.

“It was strange that they were dressed like that on the beach in the heat. They walked fast. The one came towards me and started shouting something in Maltese,” he said.

The man pointed a pistol at Galea’s forehead and told him to hand over the money. Galea told him he did not have money as he had just come out of the sea.

Then his Italian friend was about to get out of the sea and both men ran off towards White Rocks  - snatching a bag that contained Galea's mobile, car keys and watch. Meanwhile two onlookers called the police who arrived there within 15 minutes.

Galea helped police track his phone’s last signal to a nearby boathouse in Baħar iċ-Ċagħaq. Police patrolled the area from where they later arrested the two Maltese men – aged 18 and 23.

In a statement, police said that at about 5.30 pm a police patrol near the boathouses in Baħar iċ-Ċagħaq noticed two people fitting the given description acting suspiciously. When told to stop, the two drove off at speed, with the police in pursuit. On being surrounded, they got out of their car and tried to run away, but were caught and arrested.

The pistol and items used by the men to hide their identity were among the items found. 

Meanwhile, Galea was asked to identify his assailant at the police headquarters. 
“I picked him out from nine photos. I recognized him immediately. He was thin, young, had almond eyes and a piercing on his left eyebrow,” he said adding that police found his phone that was smashed and he is hoping to recover his car keys. 

Galea posted about his experience on Facebook where he described the “shocking experience”. He said: "I sort of froze as he loaded the gun while pointing it at my forehead, and every one of us was confused."

Galea thanked the police for their work. “Well done guys and I don't have words to describe my gratitude towards your professionalism, courtesy and efficiency. I am proud of the Maltese police force,” he wrote.

Assistant Commissioner Sandro Gatt praised the officers involved and thanked the public for its cooperation in giving the officers a description of the suspects.
Investigations are continuing.