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Latvian born Karlis Meirs, 21, was yesterday convicted to five years imprisonment over his involvement in a theft from Sliema on May 2011.
Perry Thomas Bilsborrow, who in separate proceedings admitted involvement in one of the thefts, took the witness stand in the case against Meirs. He knew the accused after the two met at the Detox Centre.
Meirs had told them how he had broken a window of Belgravia Auction Gallery and stole four firearms despite the burglar alarm going off.
On May 16, 2011, Bilsborrow and Karlis Meirs went to Classic Jewellers in Sliema. He lifted the accused on his shoulder so Meirs could cut the CCTV cables. The two attempted to smash a glass panel on the side of the shop but the reinforced glass did not break.
They abandoned their plan and went back to their residence. The accused prepared knives, duct tape, gloves and balaclavas for a second attempt.
In the morning they returned to the Sliema Strand and waited for the salesgirls to arrive and open the shutter; both had agreed Bilsborrow was to close the shutter again while the accused would steal the jewelry.
After the salesgirls opened the shutter the thieves tried to get in but found a second glass door closed. The salesgirls refused to open the door for them and the theft was abandoned again.
After twice giving up on stealing from the jewellry, the two walked by the shop Nouvelle Idee and decided to rob it. However, Bilsborrow decided not to take part. He continued walking to their apartment from where he was arrested.
Next on the witness stand were the salesgirls. They explained how prior to the attempted theft two men had tried to sell a ring at their shop. The girls informed them they did not buy jewelry.
On the day of the attempt robbery, two of the salesgirls were having a coffee before starting work. They recognised the two men who were on a bench across the road. They became suspicious when they realised the men were wearing gloves, jackets and hats on a warm day.
After raising the shutter, the girls saw the two men approach the shop so they closed the glass door and called the police. The two men left the scene.
Claire Valastro, who works at Nouvelle Idee explained to the court what transpired after Meirs entered her shop. Wearing a balaclava and shouting 'this is a robbery and not a joke", Meirs held a knife to her throat and demanded cash.
She refused to go into the store room after Meirs told her he would lock her there. He asked her for tape to tie her but seeing people outside the shop Valastro screamed for help.
Meiers was later arrested from the same apartment where Bilsborrow was arrested earlier.
