Two men were yesterday remanded in custody after they pleaded not guilty to stealing from a number of shops between 27 December and 4 January.

Ivan Falzon, 34, from Balzan, and Silvio Camilleri, 23, from Gzira, were separately charged with stealing from the shops and holding people against their will.

Before Magistrate Edwina Grima, the two were charged with stealing less than e2,325.57 (Lm1,000) from a hair salon at St Paul’s Bay on 30 December at 6pm and threatening and holding the salon’s owners against their will.

They were also charged with holding two women against their will in a shoe store in San Gwann on 3 January at 4.30pm, and using a fire arm and a sharp and pointed object during the commission of a crime and without a licence.

Mr Falzon and Mr Camilleri were also accused of stealing less than e2,325.57 (Lm1,000) from a pharmacy in Lija on 4 January at 5pm, holding a woman against her will and using a firearm.

They were also charged with relapsing.

Mr Camilleri alone was charged with keeping a number of people against their will in a nail studio on 27 December at 3.15pm and using a firearm and committing a crime during the operative term of a conditional discharge.

Meanwhile, in a separate case, he pleaded guilty to breaching bail conditions and was jailed for nine months. Magistrate Grima recommended the Corradino Correctional Facility in order to make him start a drug rehabilitation programme.

Police Inspectors Joseph Mercieca and Jeffrey Cilia prosecuted while Dr Chris Cardona appeared for Mr Falzon while Dr Leslie Cuschieri appeared from Mr Camilleri.