Updated 3.43pm

Police have arrested a 32-year-old German man they believe robbed a Sliema green grocer in broad daylight on Tuesday.

The man was arrested early on Wednesday in Gżira after police officers recognised him from CCTV footage of the crime. 

Video of the thief uploaded onto a Sliema residents’ Facebook community page shows the man emptying the cash register at Gerald Fruit and Vegetables on Sliema’s Triq il- Creche. 

The theft happened at around 2.45pm on Tuesday. 

At one point in the short clip, a second person who works at the store is seen trying to stop the man. But the man quickly backs away after the thief waves a small can in front of him. 

In a statement, the police said that the thief had sprayed pepper spray in the employee's face.  

Commenting on the video, Sliema residents who frequent the green grocer said they did not feel safe in their own community, knowing people willing to rob a store keeper were roaming the streets.  

Attempts to contact the shop for comment were unsuccessful. 

The suspect remains in police custody and an investigation is ongoing.