Romanian pickpockets jailed for nine months

Marius Emil Ciocan, 23, and Niculae Florica, 28, both of Romania, were this morning jailed for nine months after pleading guilty to pickpocketing a mobile phone in the early hours of Monday morning.

The Romanians – who have been charged with the same crime in the past- admitted to stealing a smartphone from B Bar in St Paul’s Bay at around 3am.

Ciocan was also found guilty of breaching bail conditions imposed by the Court of Magistrates on 2 March 2012. He was consequently charged of relapsing.

Prosecuting Inspector Godwin Scerri told the court that the “worrying” increase in Romanian pickpockets is posing a huge problem in the tourist hubs of St Paul’s Bay and Paceville.

Lawyer Marouska Debono represented the accused.