A man said he was jumped by another man, who grabbed his arm and pulled off his expensive watch, making off on a scooter, in Sliema, on Sunday, in the middle of the day.

The man shared his experience in the Facebook group, ‘Sliema Residents’, asking for people to be more vigilant.

He said he had just walked out of a butcher's shop located on Dingli Street and was making his way to his car on the opposite side of the road. The thief, he said, had an accomplice waiting for him on the scooter, and both were wearing helmets and surgical masks.

The man sharing his experience said he tried to fight off the thief but he managed to get away. The victim noted that he did not suffer any injuries.

He also said that he had made a police report about the incident and praised the police.

The post attracted a lot of comments from Sliema residents, and those that frequent the area regularly, with many noting Sliema, and Malta generally, is no longer safe.

Many commented on the fact that the incident happened in the middle of the day, on such a busy road. It was also noted that a lot of elderly people live in the area, with some even expressing their concern for their elderly relatives.

Some even recounted their own experience of petty theft but most expressed their worry about the island’s dwindling safety levels.