Burglar caught on webcam, jailed for three years

Gega Gurgenidze from Georgia has been jailed for three years after he was found guilty of stealing thousands of euros worth of jewellery and cash from a residence in Marsaxlokk whilst its owners were abroad.

Gurgenidze was also convicted of dangerous driving after leading police on a car chase.

Despite the sentence, the Georgian is expected to be released from prison soon, due to the deduction from his sentence of time spent in preventive custody.

Last June, the 24-year-old had been spotted by police performing an illegal U-turn in Marsa and driving through a red light. Police had followed the car until it was stopped in Santa Venera. A search of the vehicle returned cash including foreign currency, a bag of designer clothing and perfume.

Gurgenidze had told the police that the perfume was a gift from his wife.

On the day of his arrest, at around 10:05pm, the police received a report of a burglary which occurred just half an hour before. The break-in had been captured on two webcams installed in the premises and transmitted to the mobile phone of the victim’s son, who passed on a copy of the footage to the police.

The face of one of the burglars was recognizable from the footage, leading to Gurgenidze’s arrest.

It later emerged that $8,000, (around €7475) had been stolen, together with gold items worth another €7000, as well as some 100 Swiss Francs and two bottles of perfume.

Magistrate Marse Anne Farrugia ruled that the prosecution’s assertion that he had been in Marsaxlokk at the time of the break-in was borne out by mobile phone location data.

She also noted that when he had realised that he was being followed by a police car, he had done all he could to escape, which also pointed to his guilt.

The court said it was shown beyond a reasonable doubt that the accused was guilty of theft and dangerous driving, although it acquitted him of breaking the speed limit due to lack of evidence. He was also not found guilty of recidivism.

Gurgenidze was jailed for three years, from which time spent in preventive custody was to be deducted. He was disqualified from driving for a year after his release from prison. The car used in the offences was also confiscated by the court.

Inspector Anthony Scerri prosecuted. Lawyer Noel Bianco was defence counsel.