Two men were yesterday jailed for a total of six years between them after they admitted to stealing cash and other items in hold-ups at a total of four establishments over five months.

Charles Cutajar, 42, of Marsascala and Malcolm Brian Mercieca, 20, of Kalkara were both charged with stealing cash and mobile phones during a hold-up at Terranova in Pietà, holding people against their will and being in possession of a firearm on 30 August 2005.

They were also charged with stealing cash from Pisani Electrical Supplies in Valletta, and causing over Lm50 damage to the shop on 28 August and with relapsing.

Cutajar was also charged with involvement in stealing cash from Dr Zarb Clinic, holding Christopher Zarb against his will and with being in possession of an unlicensed firearm.

He was also charged with complicity in stealing cash from Federico Vella at the Blata l-Bajda Pharmacy last 3 September.

Mercieca was charged with complicity in an attempted robbery from St Anne's Pharmacy, in Marsascala on 3 September, breaking into three cars and committing the crimes during the operative period of a suspended jail term. Magistrate Giovanni Grixti jailed Cutajar for two-and-a-half years and Mercieca for 18 months. He also ordered that the two-year suspended jail term of Mr Mercieca come into effect bringing his total jail time to three and a half years. Police inspectors Silvio Valletta and Ramon Cassar prosecuted.