according to Police Commissioner Mr. Lennett (Lennie) Edwards.

Mr. Edwards is expecting a backlash from law-abiding citizens who are losing patience with the rise in crime on the Island.

The Commissioner was speaking to The Royal Gazette about the increasing crime figures this year.

He said: "I do not want to give the impression that I am supporting vigilantes, but some law-abiding citizen is going to catch someone coming into his house and take a club to them.

"It is going to happen. The public are getting annoyed and somebody is going to clobber someone and we will be left to go and pick up the pieces.

"Burglars had better start to worry because the public is sick and tired of this sort of thing. The numbers of break-ins are causing me a lot of concern.'' Mr. Edwards has asked the public to be more aware of locking their homes. He said that burglars will strike at any time of the day and night.

"Some of these people are pretty brazen. They will break into someone's residence when the person is in, which can be a frightening experience for the victim. This is a particular problem in the Pembroke Parish.'' Also concerning the Commissioner is the number of recent armed robberies. Last week 61-year-old store owner Mr. William Pearman was beaten by a machete-wielding thug who, along with an accomplice, snatched $2,000 in cash and cheques.

On Friday, Miss Lisa Roberts was abducted and robbed of her company's $10,000 payroll by a bandit with a gun.

And the two crimes follow incidents in which two American tourists were robbed of $60 by armed men on Elbow Beach, and two other visitors from Texas were knocked off their cycle and beaten on South Road in Tucker's Town.

The couple from New York had been sitting on the deserted beach in the early hours of the morning of September 16.

Speaking about the latter robbery Mr. Edwards said: "Two people were enjoying the moonlight on the beach when they were set upon by two people carrying clubs.

"You cannot police incidents like that. There are some opportunist people who will stop at nothing to get money.'' Mr. Edwards said that the public should try to make it as difficult as possible for opportunist thieves especially with Christmas getting near.

Bermuda's Police chief said that a new trend to hit the Island involved shoplifters working together in gangs.

Shopkeepers who run small businesses and cannot afford to install security systems should contact the Police for help and advice, he added.

Mr. Edwards believes one of the main reasons for the increase in crime in recent years in Bermuda is a lack of money.

He said: "It is safe to say that a lot of thefts and burglaries are a result of a shortage of money these days.

"Once upon a time people who did not want to work could get money from their families and friends. They could dress well, travel, buy drugs and they definitely were not going to die of malnutrition.

"Habits have changed a lot. Now the money is not there any more and for these young people to survive they must find other ways of getting it.

"It is drug-related because they steal to get money to support a drug habit in many cases. There are some pretty desperate people who will break into homes to support those habits.'' Mr. Edwards is expecting to see thefts and break-ins increase nearer to Christmas when criminals find they need more money. He has promised that there will be more Police patrols both in and out of Hamilton leading up to the festive season.

Recent fears about rape on the Island have been put into perspective by the Commissioner. Mr. Edwards pointed out that of 14 reported cases of rape this year, four were found to be genuine cases. Two were withdrawn and eight did not proceed because of insufficient evidence.

He said: "I am again asking that women be careful when they are out alone, but I want to stress that there is no mad rapist running amok out there. But there are dangers.'' Police commissioner, Mr. Lennie Edwards.