A man was arrested by police in Floriana soon after being seen stealing from a car and then subsequently attacking its owner.

Police said that on Tuesday at around 3:30pm they were informed that their assistance was required in Triq Emvin Cremona in Floriana, where a 28-year-old woman from Kalkara had noted a man trying to steal from her car.

The woman confronted the alleged thief, who then attacked the woman and escaped from the scene with the woman’s bag.

The woman was taken to the Floriana Health Centre as she was suffering from some injuries, which were later certified to be light in nature.

With her assistance and the assistance of CCTV footage in the area, the aggressor was identified and it was identified where he may have escaped to.

Rapid Intervention Unit police and the Criminal Investigations Department subsequently began their searches and at around 5pm the man was found at Triq it-Tigrija in Marsa and arrested.

The man was identified as a 31-year-old from Libya, and he is expected to be arraigned in court on Wednesday morning before duty magistrate Nadine Lia.

Inspectors Lydon Zammit, Stephen Gulia, and Gabriel Micallef are leading the prosecution.