A gang of Romanian pickpockets has been jailed after the three accused admitted to having robbed a woman in Marsaxlokk earlier this week.

Marian Tenescu, 37, Theodor Dumitrescu, 51 and Vasilica-Ionel Harabagiu, 36, all from Bucharest, were arraigned before magistrate Gabriella Vella this morning by police Inspectors Daryl Borg and Jeffrey Scicluna.

The trio were charged with stealing a wallet containing cash, documents and other objects of value from the woman and then attempting to withdraw cash using her credit card. Dumitrescu alone was further charged with recidivism, on account of previous convictions.

They were identified from CCTV when they had tried to withdraw cash using a stolen bank card.

Inspector Scicluna explained how plainclothes police officers in Valletta had subsequently spotted the suspects and followed them to Marsaxlokk where they were seen to attempt to pickpocket a number of persons – including an undercover officer.

As the officers moved in to make the arrest, one of the men had tried to run away, only to be apprehended a short distance away.

Lawyers Alfred Abela, Marisa Mifsud and Lennox Vella, appearing for the accused, did not object to summary proceedings. A guilty plea was filed for each accused.

The magistrate, in view of the admission, jailed Tenescu and Harabagiu for 5 months, and Dumitrescu for 6 months.