Court hears how burglars twice failed to enter jewellery shop

Robbers twice tried and failed to gain access to a Sliema jewellery but were thwarted by tough security glass and alert salesgirls, a court was told. A description of the attempts and two other crimes including a hold-up were given during the trial of Latvian born Karlis Meirs, 21, who was yesterday convicted of involvement in a theft from Belgravia Auction Gallery, the attempted thefts from Classic Jewellers in Sliema and a hold-up at Nouvelle Idee, all in May 2011. Witness Perry Thomas Bilsborrow, who in separate proceedings admitted involvement in one of the cases, told the court that he used to live with Albert Tanti in St Vincent Street, Sliema. Tanti  knew the accused Karlis Meirs, having met him at the Detox Centre. He explained how Meirs had told them how he had broken a window at the auction gallery and although the burglar alarm had gone off he still went in and stole four firearms. Tanti was supposed to try to find ammunition for the firearms but by the next day, the accused had already managed to sell one of the weapons. An argument broke out between Tanti and Karlis Meirs, they came to blows and Tanti walked out, taking one of the stolen weapons with him. The next day...