Two men suspected of an armed hold-up at a Mosta store last December have been arrested by the police.

One of them is also suspected to have carried out a further three hold-ups.

The arrests were made on Tuesday and Wednesday by officers from the Violent Crimes Unit and the Rapid Intervention Unit and followed weeks of investigation and monitoring.

The first arrest was made at 10pm on Tuesday when officers surrounded an apartment in St Paul's Bay and arrested a 42-year-old man from Serbia.

The other man, a 42-year-old from North Macedonia, was arrested in an apartment in Gzira on Wednesday at noon.

The police said investigations showed that the man from Serbia was also allegedly involved in thefts in Naxxar, St Paul's Bay and Qormi. The two are expected to be taken to court later on Thursday.

Photos: Communications Unit, Malta Police.

In the theft from Mosta, the two men, armed with a gun, had walked into a shop and demanded money from a 36-year-old cashier. They rushed out with cash and phone top-up cards.