Man arrested while climbing ladder into private residence

Two men have been denied bail after one was arrested whilst using a ladder to gain entry into a private residence. 

40-year old plasterer Francois Zammit and unemployed Ronald Azzopardi, 31, both from Zabbar, pleaded not guilty to charges of attempted theft and complicity in attempted theft, respectively.

Both men were additionally charged with recidivism. Zammit was also charged with breaching bail conditions.

Magistrate Gabriella Vella heard senior Inspector Trevor Micallef explain how the police had been informed by an anonymous phone call on Sunday afternoon that a man was acting suspiciously on the roof of a house in Zejtun.

He said that the man, later identified as Zammit, who is the son-in-law of the owner of the house, had been trying to gain access to the residence in what was apparently an attempted robbery.

While he was being arrested, Zammit had claimed that he had been trying to go inside to see his daughter.

The police had later traced the man’s accomplice, Azzopardi, who had transported the ladder used to access the roof, before taking it back to his friend’s farmhouse.

The defence requested bail, arguing that the case against the men was “hazy” as there was no evidence that the accused had attempted to steal and no damage had been caused.

The prosecution objected strongly to this however, and the court decided to withhold bail in view of the fact that the civilian witnesses who were due to testify were well known to both accused and there was a risk of subornation.

Lawyers Franco Debono and Marion Camilleri appeared for the accused.