PC Roger Debattista , 34, who was a canine officer working overtime, was shot and killed on November 12, 2001 during a bank hold-up at 10:45 a.m. while he closing the front doors of the bank he was guarding in Ta` Farzina, Qormi when he saw three armed robbers rushed towards him and he realized the bank was going to be robbed. Two of the robbers had their heads covered in women`s tights. One wore a balaclava, and the other had a carnival mask. Debattista was shot twice through the glass doors at point blank range at the Bank of Valletta branch. with the second being the fatal shot. Debattista was hit on the lower left-hand side of the body and the shot penetrated his lungs. PC Debattista was rushed to St Luke`s Hospital where he was operated upon immediately but he died soon afterwards. After shooting the policeman, the robbers rushed inside the bank. As one robber held up the four customers and seven employees inside the bank, the other two men grabbed as much cash as they could and then ran off in a waiting getaway car which was a red Lada Samara. The car had been stolen from Cospicua last month. Before they left the bank one of the robbers took away the policeman`s weapon. They also took a security bag containing what is known as “bait money” and drove off, tires screeching, to Summer Street two blocks away. The “bait money” releases indelible ink on the bank notes inside it, making the notes useless. The red Lada Samara was found abandoned with its doors open two blocks away from the bank. Both front seats of the car were folded forward. Tire marks were found in front of the car, indicating that the robbers had another getaway car parked there. A black carnival mask was found close to a low wall where the getaway vehicle was parked. A five-shot Luigi Franchi repeater shotgun, which had its registration number erased and which had the butt wrapped in tape, was also found on the ground. It was thrown over the low wall. Stained money with the red indelible ink was left in the car. The notes were scattered on the floorboard, on the front seats and on the dashboard. The police said the notes were stained when the robbers forced open the security bag, presumably to share the money. The robbers were eventually found to be Andy Calleja, 23, Mario Borg, 35, Ian Galdes, 22, and Mark Falzon, 26. A monument to police constable Roger Debattista was unveiled in Qormi, close to where the bank used to be located. The monument, featuring a bust of Mr Debattista, was set up on the initiative of Qormi council, the bank and the police. PC Debattista has already had a street on November 16, 2007 and a wing of police HQ named after him. He has previously served in Mobile Squad and the Corradino Correctional Facility. PC Debattista as an exemplary policeman who joined the corps on April 12, 1986 and served for almost 16 years. Debattista was given a hero’s funeral in which thousands of people attended. Many senior officers and members of the AFM`s bomb disposal unit, who had often worked alongside PC Debattista attended to honor him who worked in the dog section for twelve years and whose dog was trained to sniff for explosives. The hearse was escorted to Addolorata Cemetery by police motorcyclists and policemen in ceremonial uniform carried the coffin, draped in the police flag, to the police grave where a guard of honor stood to attention as a detachment fired three rounds in a final salute before the body was laid to rest. PC Roger Debattista, who posthumously received the Midalja Ghall-Qlubija. He was married to Simone and had three daughters, Kelsey, 8, Shanice, 6, and 15-month-old Jezmine.
The robbers were charged with robbing a bank, holding several people against their will, causing damage to the bank, stealing John Paul Cesare`s car on October 30, stealing registration plates of a car belonging to Giovanni Borg, handling stolen property, carrying a firearm and ammunition at the time of the commission of a crime, keeping a firearm and ammunition without a license, and firing a gun within 200 meters of a residential area. Admitting to their numerous charges at the start of their trial, Mr. Borg and Mr. Galdes were jailed for seven years and Mr. Borg for five. Mr. Justice Joe Galea Debono delivered the sentences. Mr. Calleja, who was identified as the murderer, was handed a life sentence.
