Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1248303
8 maltatoday | SUNDAY • 17 MAY 2020 CORONAVIRUS CRISIS POST OF HIGHER CLERICAL OFFICER AT THE OFFICE OF THE STATE ADVOCATE The Office of the State Advocate is inviting applications to fill a post of Higher Clerical Officer. The selected candidate will be employed on a full-time indefinite basis and will be required to work for a minimum of forty hours per week. Applicants must have an Advanced level of education MQF Level 4. Letters of application, including a detailed CV, should be addressed to: c/o Human Resources (Jobsplus Permit 90/2020) Office of the State Advocate The Main Guard, St. George's Square, Valletta or by email; info@stateadvocate.mt Applications should be submitted by not later than Wednesday, 27th May 2020. KURT SANSONE THEFT in the first four months has declined and the patterns suggest the corona- virus crisis may have played a role in this. Figures tabled in parliament last week show there were almost 300 fewer report- ed thefts by the end of April when compared to the first four months of last year. Thefts from residences, pick-pocketing, and theft by clients from bars, restaurants, hotels and retail outlets, all decreased. Since March, people have been urged to stay at home, while non-essential retail out- lets, hotels and catering out- lets were shut down to miti- gate the spread of the virus. There has also been a greater police presence on the streets to prevent public gatherings, which may also have served as a deterrent. This possibly contributed to 87 fewer (-42%) thefts from residences, 51 less (-49%) cases of thieving clients from restaurants and bars, 17 fewer cases (-57%) of theft by hotel residents and a decrease of 45 cases (-31%) of pick-pocket- ing. Significantly, theft from ve- hicles decreased by 158, a 35% drop, in the first four months. Theft from streets and pub- lic areas also declined, as did the number of muggings and cases classified by the police as 'other theft'. However, the figures pre- sented by Home Affairs Min- ister Byron Camilleri in reply to Opposition MP Jason Azz- opardi, also show a worrying increase in the number of cas- es involving armed robbery. There were 21 cases of armed robbery in the first four months, more than dou- ble the cases registered last year in the same period. And with fewer people cir- cling around, there were al- so more cases of theft from vacant residences, farms and fields, building sites and sea craft. The figures show that until the end of April, 1,599 cases of theft were reported to the police, down from the 1,894 cases recorded last year in the same period. Theft down and coronavirus may have played a role