Estate agent charged with burglary

A man in police custody over a spate of thefts has been slapped with additional theft charges after mobile phone location data placed him at the scene of yet another burglary.

32-year-old estate agent Matthew Camilleri appeared in the dock before magistrate Donatella Frendo Dimech this morning, accused of the aggravated theft of cash, jewellery and other objects from a flat in Attard last February.

Inspector Mario Xiberras explained how CCTV from the area of the burgled residence showed Camilleri alight from an SUV and look at a shop window, before entering the residence and spending around 20 minutes inside. The victims had seen him in the area before, said the inspector. Moreover, mobile phone localisation data placed him in the vicinity of the burgled apartment at the time of the offence, he said.

Camilleri pleaded not guilty but did not request bail in view of other, pending, proceedings, in which he is charged with no less than 27 offences and for which he is already in custody.

Lawyers Franco Debono and Marion Camilleri appeared for the accused. Inspectors Mario Xiberras and Christina Delia prosecuted.