Man jailed for helping girlfriend steal gold ring in Hamrun

A 37-year-old drug addict was today sentenced to six years behind bars after he was found guilty of helping his girlfriend steal a gold ring from a jewellery shop in Hamrun.

The incident occurred in September 2010, when the accused, Kenneth Borg, of Rabat, waited in his car, while his girlfriend, Miriam Caruana, entered ‘Patrick’s Jewellery’ in Hamrun.

Caruana then tried a gold ring on before asking the jewellers to try on another ring. The jewellers then asked her to hand over the ring, but Caruana insisted that she had already given it back.

An argument ensued with Caruana insisting that she had given the ring back.

The owner of the shop then told her not to leave, but Caruana nevertheless left the shop, and met her boyfriend outside. The accused, who by then was waiting his girlfriend in the car, was then handed the gold ring.

This was witnessed by one of the shop owner.

When the shop owner approached him and asked to open his hand, the accused started swearing and shouting at her. The two then fled the scene of the crime, with the shop owner taking note of the car number plate. 

Borg, who has a drug problem, was eventually called in to the Hamrun police station where he returned the ring back.

In handing down his decree, Magistrate Ian Farrugia found Kenneth Borg guilty of being an accomplice in the theft of the gold ring, of receiving stolen goods, of relapsing, and of committing the crime during the operative period of two suspended jail terms.

Magistrate Farrugia also noted that the accused has a lengthy criminal record, and that he had already been sentenced to jail twice. Moreover, the court noted that the accused had committed the crime during the operative period of two suspended sentences.

Magistrate Farrugia sentenced the man six years in prison. 

Proceedings against Miriam Caruana are ongoing.