The 40-year-old was making her way to her car in the Dundonald Street parking lot when an unknown male approached her and demanded money.

When she refused to give him any cash the attacker became threatening and slapped the victim hard across her face.

He eventually ran off toward the back of the car park when the woman again refused to give him any money.

Police said the culprit they were searching for was a medium dark skinned male, six-feet five-inches tall of slim build in his late teens or early twenties.

He was clean shaven with short hair and wore a dark coloured, zipped hooded jacket and dark pants.

Police appealed for witnesses to the incident at 6.50 p.m. to call Central C.I.D. at 295-0011 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-623-8477.

MYSTERY FIRE DESTROYS VEHICLE FIR Mystery fire destroys vehicle A $15,000 car was completely destroyed in a mystery fire during the early hours of yesterday morning.

And it was the fourth vehicle to be destroyed by such a blaze in less than a week.

In the latest incident Police and fire-fighters rushed to the Hibiscus Lane, Pembroke address at 4.10 a.m. to find the Nissan California station wagon engulfed in flames after a witness called 911.

But the white vehicle was already completely destroyed.

Both the Police and the Fire Service yesterday were continuing to investigate the blaze.

THIEVES HIT BOUTIQUE, HOME AND HOTEL CRM Thieves hit boutique, home and hotel Police appealed for witnesses yesterday after bandits raided a city boutique, a Hamilton Parish hotel and a Smith's home over the past few days.

In a weekend hit at least one thief burgled a boutique in Hamilton over the weekend.

The bandit broke a security bar covering a side window to enter the shop and then stole a quantity of clothing.

In a separate incident thieves attempted to raid a pool-side cash register at a Hamilton Parish hotel in the early hours of yesterday.

The culprit forced open the cash register only to discover that it was empty, Police said.

The Eastern Police Criminal Investigation Department is investigating.

And in an unrelated case a prowler broke into a house on Green Hill Lane, Smith's Parish on Monday but appeared not to have stolen anything.

The culprit forced open the ground floor window shutters and then plied open the window to gain entry.

Police said they were still investigating whether the culprit stole anything.

Anyone with information regarding these crimes should telephone Police on 295-0011 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-623-8477.

NEW LEASE ON LIFE FOR FORMER SCHOOL, DGS ED New lease on life for former school A former school which once harboured criminal activities until it was boarded up is to take on a new lease of life.

Up to 70 arrests were made last year at the former Powell's Nursery on Friswells Road, Devonshire, after various criminals had utilised the premises for illicit practices.

But now the site is set to be turned into a residence after a planning application was lodged by Mr. A. Wilkinson to convert the school.

Police boarded the derelict building up last August, following its closure a year earlier.

Up until its closing off, Police said they had made 70 arrests in the building, which they said had been used to sell marijuana and strip down stolen mopeds.

At the time, National Drugs Commission chief executive officer Derrick Binns said there was potential for the site to be used as sheltered housing for people recovering from substance abuse.

Yesterday he said it was good news that it was going to be occupied again, which removed the temptation for misuse.

YOUNG TEEN ROBBED OUTSIDE CHURCH CRM Young teen robbed outside church Police are investigating a report that a youth was robbed outside of a church on Sunday afternoon.

The 14-year-old boy told Police he was walking along Elliott Street, near St.

Theresa's Cathedral when another youth approached him and demanded a silver chain he was wearing around his neck.

The assailant then punched the victim on the left side of his face, causing an injury.

The attacker is described as a dark-skinned male, with a Bermudian accent, around 15 to 16-years-old, with a close-shaved haircut.

He was wearing a red and black striped shirt.

WOMAN BANNED FOR DRUNK DRIVING CTS Woman banned for drunk driving A woman was fined $450 and banned from driving for a year this week after admitting driving while impaired.

Magistrates' Court heard Stephanie Smith was stopped by Police in the early hours of January 23 on Reid Street after she ran through a junction without stopping.

Magistrate Archibald Warner was told officers smelt alcohol on Smith's breath and decided to test her at Hamilton Police station.

Smith, 31, of Hamilton Parish, was found to have a blood/alcohol limit of 119 milligrams of alcohol in 100 millilitres of blood. The legal limit is 80/100.

Smith, who pleaded guilty to the offence, apologised to the court and stressed it was her first offence.

POLICE REPORT POWER GENERATOR STOLEN CRM Police report power generator stolen Police are on the lookout for a $1,100 power generator stolen from the roadside in Hamilton Parish.

The "Makita'' generator, belonging to Cablevision, was placed at the road side at the junction of Radnor Road and North Shore Road on Sunday morning.

It was placed there in case of a power outage.

The generator is blue and weighs about 60 pounds.

Any person with information regarding this incident is asked to contact St.

George's Police on 297-1122 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-623-8477.

WARWICK MAN ARRESTED FOR FIGHTING CRM Warwick man arrested for fighting A Warwick man was arrested on Court Street yesterday afternoon after Police were called to a fight between two men in a public place.

Uniformed officers arrived at the scene in Pembroke at 12.15 p.m. and found the 28-year-old in a very agitated state.

The man began shouting and cursing at the arriving officers and ignored their repeated suggestions that he calm down, becoming more abusive.

He was arrested after a brief struggle with the officers.

A spokesman said Police then took him back to Hamilton Police Station where he was being held.