A story on the web portal of MaltaToday said a journalist from Times of Malta, Ivan Camilleri, had been “confronted on shoplifting” in a Naxxar supermarket, with the reporter replying that the story had been “conjured” by a managing editor “with a clear agenda to try to tarnish the reputation of serious people.”
The story, written by Saviour Balzan, speaks of the way Camilleri was “confronted by senior staff from a major supermarket in Naxxar, over an incident of shoplifting”. Camilleri, MaltaToday reports, “was called to the supermarket to explain himself after company superiors were alerted to an incident caught on the supermarket’s CCTV”.
“Staff manning the CCTV alerted management that Camilleri had allegedly pilfered an unspecified amount of highly-priced goods,” the report said, adding that the incident was confirmed by the supermarket owner “who refused to release a comment on the amount Camilleri repaid for the stolen goods”.
The incident was only revealed to management “after the shoplifting took place, leading a company official to personally contact Camilleri,” MaltaToday reports. “Camilleri was then confronted over the incident – the journalist was said to have immediately admitted to the crime.”
In a reply on his Facebook wall, Camilleri denied the story.
He said he is a regular client of Valyou supermarket in Naxxar – and remains so to this day.
“In one of my regular visits, I mistakenly placed some small items in the shopping cart which I forgot to pass through the counter for payment together with all my family’s shopping. The items were not hidden in any way.
“As I was leaving, one of the cashiers asked me about the items in question. I immediately realised I had forgotten some items, excused myself for the mishap and paid there and then for the items.
“Afterwards, I also spoke about the incident directly to the owner of the supermarket, Mr Ray Mintoff, and explained what happened.
“Mr Mintoff immediately recognised my mistake and said these things can happen to anyone. He said that the incident stopped there as this was absolutely no case of shoplifting,” Camilleri wrote, saying he was never “confronted” and there was never any “shoplifting”.
Camilleri said he will continue to perform his duties and has “no other option but to follow up with legal advice on how to best defend my reputation.”
He said he has “discussed the matter with my superiors and offered to take a step back until they clarify the issue further”.
