Man charged with string of thefts spanning five months

Police have charged a man in connection with a five-month long theft spree, during which he allegedly committed more than 20 thefts, some of which involved incidents of criminal damage.

Police Inspectors Gabriel Micallef, Clayton Camilleri and Mark Cremona arraigned

Rashid Ramadan Ibrahim Aljabo, 29, a car sprayer from Libya before Magistrate Doreen Clarke on Wednesday afternoon, accusing him of stealing wallets, cash and stock from a number of shops and cars in Valletta, Qormi and Hamrun.

Aljabo is also charged with damaging five cars which he is accused of breaking into and stealing items from.

Inspector Micallef told the court that in March a string of thefts from Valletta between March and July had been investigated and the accused had been identified from CCTV. He was recognised as he had several previous convictions.

But Aljabo had no fixed address and had managed to strike again, in Qormi before he could be traced and taken into custody.

Police had received a tip off that he was residing in a structure in Marsa, where he was duly arrested after a warrant was issued.

A not guilty plea was recorded. Bail was not requested.

Lawyers Franco Debono and Francesca Zarb are the man’s defence counsel.