Two armed robberies destroyed peaceful Easter weekend celebrations.

In the first of the Saturday attacks, two masked men, one brandishing what was believed to be a handgun, held up the Empire Grocery on North Shore Road, Devonshire and took $500.

Hours later, a masked assailant entered a Warwick home, held a machete to a man's throat and demanded money from his victim's girlfriend.

Yesterday a Police spokesman said the grocery store robbery occurred around 7.30 p.m.

The robbers reportedly entered the store and demanded money from two members of staff operating a pair of cash registers.

One of the bandits left the store after a staff member handed over some $500 from a till.

However, the second thief left empty-handed when the second staff member refused to surrender any cash.

The robbers then made a westward getaway along North Shore Road on a dark coloured motorcycle.

Both men were wearing black face masks, but Police said there were a number of witnesses both inside and outside the store.

Police have also retained the store's surveillance camera to aid their investigation.

The man believed to have been wielding the black handgun is described as approximately five foot, ten inches tall with dark skin. He was wearing a black helmet, white jacket with a black stripe in the centre, black pants, and white sneakers.

His partner is described as an approximately six foot tall, light-skinned man wearing a light gray jacket, gold helmet, green camouflage pants, and white sneakers.

Empire Grocery owners declined to comment yesterday.

The private home incident took place around 11.30 p.m. on Lusher Hill East, said the Police spokesman.

A 38-year-old female resident told Police she and her boyfriend were sitting in her apartment when a machete-wielding man in a white hockey mask entered.

The intruder first ordered the couple to lay on the floor, but then held the machete against the man's throat and ordered the woman to give up their wallets.

Robbery He then told the pair to lay back on the floor and fled the apartment with more than $500.

Although the woman's boyfriend gave chase, the robber escaped somewhere in the Spicery Road area.

He is described as a slightly built black male, approximately five foot, seven inches tall and was wearing dark clothing.

Police are appealing to any members of the public who may have witnessed, or who may have information about either of the incidents to contact Police at 295-0011 or call the confidential CrimeStoppers hotline at 1-800-623-8477.

The weekend incidents occurred days after a daylight robbery of the Bermuda Paint Company on Brighton Hill Road, Devonshire.

In that incident, an apparently unarmed lone thief walked out of the store with an undisclosed amount of cash on Wednesday morning.

Police arrested a 31-year-old suspect hours later in Pembroke.

Targeted: Two masked bandits, one carrying what was believed to be a handgun, robbed the Empire Grocery on North Shore Road, Devonshire on Saturday.