A young man who had stolen a cell phone and other personal items from a German national and who had inserted his registered SIM card in the stolen phone making the phone traceable was imprisoned for two months suspended for 18 months.

The items had been stolen from Marcus Spelge on the night of 14 and 15 July, 2011. The accused was 14-years-old at the time. His name cannot be published by court order.

A court heard how Mr Spelge had been walking along the Gzira promenade when the accused - who was on a bicycle - snatched Mr Spelge’s bag which was hanging over his shoulder. Mr Spelge had reported the theft to the police and eventually the mobile phone was recovered and found to be in the possession of the accused.

The police managed to trace the phone after the youth replaced his registered SIM card with Mr Spelge’s making the phone easily traceable. The calls which were made a few days after the theft are understood to have been made by family members of the accused.

In the end, the youth had admitted to the police that the SIM card was his.

Magistrate Doreen Clarke presided over the case while Police Inspector Keith Arnaud prosecuted.