following the second bank robbery in Somerset in three months.

And the deputy leader of the Progressive Labour Party said a direct line between the banks and Somerset Police Station should be set up.

Sandys South MP Dennis Lister said he was concerned about the number of robberies in the "quiet village setting'' of Somerset. "If we are going to stop it, we need to see a higher (Police) profile,'' said the Shadow Transport Minister.

He said criminals noticed that the number of Police in Somerset was not as high as they were in years gone by.

The Somerset branch of the Bank of Butterfield was the victim of an armed robbery in broad daylight on Tuesday.

Two armed men entered the bank through a side door at around 10.15 a.m. -- just as a delivery of cash was being made.

The men beat three security guards before fleeing with sacks of money.

The guards, Clayton Simmons, Randolph Spencer and John Gilbert were hospitalised briefly before being released.

When contacted yesterday, Mr. Simmons and Mr. Spencer declined to talk to The Royal Gazette . Mr. Gilbert could not be reached for comment.

Three men have since been arrested in connection with the robbery and a handgun and the money have also been recovered.

PLP deputy leader Eugene Cox said the banks in Somerset should be connected directly to the Police Station in light of previous robberies -- the most recent three months ago.

The Somerset branch of the Bank of Bermuda was robbed in April by four masked men wielding two guns.

Three men have since been charged with the offence but have not gone to trial.

Mr. Cox said: "I would have thought that as the banks had been affected before, perhaps a direct line from them to the Police Station could have been installed.'' This way, Mr. Cox noted, the calls could go directly to the Police rather than going through a third party.

But he added: "I think no-one can fault Police for their efforts in tracking down the robbers.''