HSBC heist suspects went undetected as CCTV cameras did not pick them up in dark clothing

In a court sitting that kicked-off the compilation of evidence against Fabio Psaila, the former-fugitive who evaded police detection for almost a month despite being wounded, Magistrate Audrey Demicoli heard how the men behind the attempted heist made use of at least emergency three code tags to gain access into separate parts of the highly secured building.

But throughout the generous amount of information that the witnesses revealed, Defence counsel Manuel Mallia complained that all the evidence had not linked Fabio Psaila to the crime in any way.

According to testimony by Inspector Joseph Mercieca, an emergency code tag was used by the men at 19:39 to gain entry to the building through the fire escape – a tag that is said provides access to a number of sections within the bank in case of emergency.  Mercieca said that this tag was generally kept in a cabinet in the control room. It is unclear how it found its way into the bank heist gang’s hands.

Mercieca also said that problems were reported in the footage taken by the CCTV system of the outside fire escape, since he noticed that the camera only reliably perceived individuals wearing light clothing, but not dark clothing.  Mercieca added that there was no footage of the men as they walked from the fire escape, to the control room. He added that there were no CCTVs in the control room itself, while telephone calls made to the control room were not recorded.

Later, the doors to the control room were opened using another code tag at 19:42, Mercieca said, while yet another code tag was used by the gang’s third man - who is said to have arrived later. This last tag however failed to work.  

Once they entered the control room, Jesmond Muscat who was in the room at the time, was bound and escorted out. Mecieca also said that a call was made from one of the men's mobile phones to one of the two fixed lines in the control room. These calls were however not recorded.

Ivan Azzopardi, another security officer, later drew a sketch of a large watch he had seen on one of the men's wrists and it was later found on Darren Debono who is accused of being involved in the crime.

This last security tag was revealed as belonging to HSBC employee Raymond Aquilina, who is a supervisor in the bank's cash depot. He denied ever having given it to anyone.

Mercieca maintained that all of this shows that the three men possessed good knowledge of the building, but police had so far been unable top identify anyone who could have given them inside information on the layout of the building.

Mercieca’s statement coincides with boasts by former inspector David Gatt (allegedly having masterminded the heist) that he had a person within the bank who had helped plan the aborted heist.

A Ghanaian man who is resident in Qormi, withdrawing money from the ATM at the time of the heist, said how shots rang out soon after an alarm was heard, and as he turned to take in the scene, he found himself in the middle of the ensuing shootout.

He recalled lying down on the ground as instructed by police and that he lay there for the 15 to 20 minutes that the gunfight laster. He recalled seeing a Jeep pass by, from which an outstretched arm protruded and shot at police.

Being the first two officials on the scene, Mobile Squad officials Kenneth Cangura and Kurt Gauci from the Mobile Squad testified how they found 12 bullet holes were found on the body of the police car they took cover behind the gang made its exit from the building, opened fire on them.

They testified how the men wore dark blazers, sunglasses and a wig – which Inspector Mercieca later said were found abandoned later during the day. The Jeep the gang used to flee the scene was also later found completely burnt in Mosta with two pistols inside.