Police have charged a Maltese homeless man over a string of robberies from cars and a chapel in Ħaż-Żebbuġ, Qormi and Għaxaq.

The man was charged over nine thefts, carried out over a five-day period starting from 16th April, and pleaded not guilty. An accomplice was charged with seven of those thefts and pleaded guilty, prompting the court to hand him two-year prison sentence suspended for four years.

Police inspectors testified that the men had specifically targeted their victims, robbing them while they were at home.

They said the homeless man had originally given them a home address in Rabat, but later led them to an abandoned vehicle in a Żebbuġ field that he used as a makeshift home. When police checked out the Rabat address, they found that the place was “inhabitable” and couldn’t find any personal items belonging to the accused.

Magistrate Claire Stafrace Zammit ordered a ban on the victims’ names, following a request by the prosecution. However, an independent MP has said his medical bag was robbed from his car while it was parked in Ħaż-Żebbuġ and that police arrested the suspects.

The homeless man’s request for bail was denied.

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