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A man has received a suspended prison sentence after a group of divers reportedly chased and apprehended him when he attempted to steal from their vehicle in Gozo.
The incident happened between 9am and 10.30am on 30 August 2026 in the Xwejni area of Marsalforn, a popular diving destination on the Maltese island.
According to a judgment reported by Newsbook Malta, Polish diver Marek Sawon saw a man reach through the window of a diving van and remove a basket.
Sawon and his companions shouted at the man, who reportedly attempted to flee. The group chased him, caught him and held him until police attended the scene.
The man was subsequently identified as 56-year-old Robert Farrugia of Żurrieq.
Farrugia appeared before Magistrate Jean Paul Grech at the Gozo Magistrates’ Court and admitted attempted theft. He also admitted possessing tools used to open locks and carrying a knife with a blade exceeding eight centimetres.
Malta’s national public broadcaster, TVM News, independently reported the conviction and the circumstances surrounding the attempted theft.
The court sentenced Farrugia to eight months in prison, suspended for four years. He was also fined €116.47.
The court reportedly took his early admission into consideration but noted that it could not disregard his previous convictions for theft.
A reminder for travelling divers
Dive vehicles can be particularly tempting targets because they may contain cameras, computers, regulators and other valuable equipment. Divers also commonly leave vehicles unattended at relatively quiet coastal locations while they are underwater.
Whenever possible, valuable equipment should be removed from the vehicle or kept out of sight. Divers should avoid leaving phones, wallets, passports and camera equipment behind, even when a vehicle will only be unattended for the duration of a dive.
The Gozo incident ended with the suspect being caught and the property apparently recovered. Divers should not, however, place themselves in danger by confronting or pursuing a suspected thief, particularly when a weapon may be involved. Recording identifying details and contacting local police is normally the safer response.
Divers travelling with expensive equipment may also want to consider luggage trackers, lockable cases and other simple security accessories before their next trip. A selection of travel security products is available on Amazon.
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