The woman closed her shop in Tower Road, Sliema at around 7.30pm and drove to her house in Swieqi.

On reaching her house at around 8.15pm, she was approached by a man who stood by her car, wielding a knife.

The thief ordered her to hand over her handbag and ran away without injuring the victim. However she was taken to hospital as she was in a state of shock.

Duty magistrate Denis Montebello set up an inquiry and appointed various experts to help, while St Julian’s district police together with the officers from the CID are investigating.