Two pickpockets denied bail

Two Maltese men who were arrested after trying to pickpocket an elderly British woman on a crowded bus, have been remanded in custody after being charged in connection with that several thefts.

John Azzopardi, 39 from Paola, and Natale Bonello, 40, from Marsaskala, were arrested on 9 September after police received a report that two persons had been detained in the act of trying to steal a wallet belonging to another passenger on board the number 367 bus, in Sliema.

Prosecuting Inspectors Jason Francis Sultana and Bernard Spiteri told the court that the two unemployed men, who go by women’s names and wear female clothing, were also charged with stealing €180 cash from a vegetable hawker on the morning of 31 July in December 13 road in Nadur, Gozo, before also stealing cash from Mizzi Hardware Store in Kercem Road, Victoria that same day.

Less than a fortnight later, on 11 June, only minutes after being handed a probation order by the courts, the pair allegedly helped themselves to some €400 from JA Vella Households in St Paul Street, Valletta. 

The pair were additionally charged with handing stolen property. The men pleaded not guilty to the charges.

This morning, English tourist Jean Harris told Magistrate Natasha Galea Sciberras that she had filed the police report after the incident on Wednesday. The court heard how Harris, her sister and brother-in-law had embarked the bus to Sliema from St. Julian’s. “It started to rain so we got on the bus, which was packed,” said Harris.

Once on board, a person whom the witness identified in court as Natal Bonello, had gestured to her to move further down to the front, closer to him.

“I was quite happy where I was- I thought I was being given a seat.” As she was used to people giving up their seat for the elderly on Maltese public transport, she complied but found no empty seat.

Harris told the court that she had not even noticed that Bonello had put a hand in her bag. “I didn’t notice...I didn’t have room to notice because the bus was so full.”

Cross-examined by defence lawyer Arthur Azzopardi, the woman said that at the time she had between €550 and €600  in her purse. She confirmed that the purse had not been physically removed from her handbag, only the cash. “I normally keep them in a wallet around my neck, but I had not worn it that day.”

The victim’s sister, Annette Willets, had seen the incident and pointed it out to the driver, who locked the bus doors and called the police.

“I saw the person with glasses (Bonello) reach straight into the bag, so I snatched the bag but only told my sister to go to the front, so as not to alarm her. I immediately told the driver, who called the police and locked the doors. When we arrived at the bust stop, the accused called my sister to approach them again.”

Bail was not requested and the men were remanded in custody.

Lawyer Arthur Azzopardi appeared on behalf of Azzopardi. Lawyers Franco Debono and Marion Camilleri were Bonello’s defence counsel.