On Tuesday 11 July 2023 four 12 litre cylinders (as per photo) were stolen off the back of a dive truck from near HMS Maori shore dive entry, along with cash from divers’ clothes. Should anyone have seen anything, or can identify any suspects, please call the police on anonymous tipping line 119. Cylinder serial numbers are known and will be uploaded soon in this post.
This diving site is notorious for such incidents, which although for a period had stopped, have recently resumed. Information to the Valletta Police community team has been forwarded and are being advised on this incident. Police reports are and need to be filed for any such event, otherwise Police attention will be limited. A report does not need to be filed at the Valletta Police Station, but may be filed in any other Police Station although you should do it as soon as possible. If any officer at another Police Station tells you differently, call the Police HQ on 2122 4001 right on the spot and ask for guidance – that should change the officer’s attitude.
Where possible, if equipment and especially, equipment with serial numbers is stolen, please let us know. We will soon open a page on the site with stolen items including images and any descriptions and serial numbers you can provide to limit their resale value and be able to check against if you’re offered a stinking deal.
In the meantime, whilst hopefully police keep an eye out for crooks, limit belongings left unattended at any site. Criminals love taking cash away (with reports in the past from Cirkewwa and Xatt l-Ahmar as well), so limit as much as possible valuables left in vehicles and preferably take nothing else but clothes that can’t be taken with you on your dive. Don’t leave keys unattended either. Consider using a key safe (padlock or other type) if you can’t take the key with you. Shore cover is preferable.
This issue will also be flagged to the MTA as well to consider whether CCTV can be installed in the zone, as the diving strategy of 2022 missed pointing out the need for CCTV at this site, In any case, we saw little to no action upon the majority of the strategy as per our article of a few days ago which you can read here.
Take as little chances as possible!
