their luxury Jamaican villa.

Flashing knives, they hauled Mr. John Thompson and his wife from their bed, tied them up, and demanded cash.

After grabbing money and jewellery the gang pounced on another Bermudian couple in a nearby room.

They snatched more jewellery before fleeing into the dark.

It was a horrifying ordeal for the Bermudians who had flown to Jamaica for a friend's birthday bash.

The robbery occurred in the early hours last Thursday at the plush Plantation Inn in Ocho Rios.

Police are probing possible links with the shooting of an American doctor at the nearby Ciboney Resort shortly afterwards.

Three armed men forced open the door of Dr. Walter Robert Cox's villa at about 3.20 a.m., and shot him in the left breast. They escaped with cameras.

Dr. Cox, 33, was rushed to St. Ann's Bay Hospital, and later transferred to the Kingston Public Hospital.

He was then airlifted to a hospital in Fort Lauderdale, Miami, for treatment.

Although his condition is serious, he is not critical.

The shooting brought an expression of outrage from Jamaica's Tourism Minister Mr. John Junor.

A Police spokeswoman said yesterday: "There are similarities between the two incidents.'' She added one man was now helping Police with inquiries.

Police say three men, one armed with a gun and the others brandishing knives, struck at Mr. Thompson's villa at about 2.30 a.m.

They tied up the security guard, slashed telephone wires, and forced open the door.

After lashing up Mr. Thompson and his wife, Lei-Valli, they plundered their possessions.

"They stole an unknown amount of money and jewellery,'' the Police spokeswoman said.

Mr. Stuart Thompson and his wife, Diana, were sleeping nearby when awoken by the commotion.

The thugs set upon them too before making off with their loot.

Meanwhile, Mr. John Thompson, who works for law firm Conyers, Dill & Pearman, managed to free himself, and locked his wife in the bathroom to protect her.

He then raced down to the hotel's reception area in his pyjama bottoms to raise the alarm.

Yesterday the couples were unwilling to speak about their ordeal.

They had gone to Jamaica with other Bermudians to celebrate their friend Mr.

Anthony Watson's birthday.

Mr. Watson is understood to run Plantation Inn, a popular tourist resort.

Others in the group were Mr. Tom Watlington, Mr. Peter Shrubb, Mr. Hamish Burns, and Mr. John Leseur.

Mrs. Burns' wife said none of the group was willing to talk about the drama.