A man criminal has been remanded in custody after he was charged with stealing approximately €7,000 worth of clothes.

Keith Pace, 38, from Santa Venera was arraigned before magistrate Simone Grech on Wednesday afternoon, accused of aggravated theft, voluntary damage to third party property, handling stolen goods, attempted theft and recidivism.

Some €7,000 worth of clothes were stolen in the break-in which took place in Paola on August 14. He was also accused of attempted theft from another property in Santa Venera on September 23.

Pace has multiple previous convictions for theft and other crimes.

Police investigating the crimes had eventually singled out Pace as the likely culprit and later arrested him at his home.

Pace pleaded not guilty to the charges. His lawyers, Franco Debono and Amadeus Cachia, did not request bail on account of the man’s extensive criminal record and the fact that witnesses had not yet testified.

He was remanded in custody. 
Inspectors Mario Xiberras, Wayne Camilleri and Shawn Pawney prosecuted.