Three men broke into a St. George's home brandishing a gun and demanding money yesterday, sparking a manhunt throughout the east end.

Police respondedto to the burglary on Wellington Point Lane in St. George's at 11.40 a.m., but the suspects had already escaped on foot.

Yesterday afternoon, Police combed the area for the suspects, while forensic experts searched the home for evidence.

It is understood that the men escaped in the direction of a nearby marina. Asked if Police believed the men fled on a boat, a spokesman said the possibility had not been ruled out.

An eyewitness, who spoke on the condition of anonymity claimed he saw three suspicious young men running through the area of M.A.S.S. Ltd (a steel supply company), and the St. George's Boatyard.

"It was 10.30 or 10.45 in the morning when I saw this kid, no older than 17, come sprinting through the area between M.A.S.S. and the boatyard," the witness told The Royal Gazette. "About 50 feet behind him was another young kid, about the same age or younger, running at full speed in the same direction.

"Then, about 100 feet behind him was a much chubbier, heavy-set kid – about the same age as the others – running as fast as he could to follow the other two."

The witness added: "Not to make light of a serious situation but the heavy-set kid was having quite a hard time keeping up with the others. He was sagging his pants, like lots of kids do these days, and they kept falling down on him. He had to use one hand to hold them up and kind of hobble along so that they didn't fall down completely – he looked like an idiot and at the time I thought it was funny."

Although he did not know that an armed robbery had just taken place nearby, the witness stated that his suspicions were aroused enough to inform a Police man that he passed on his way from St. George's.

"Unfortunately, from where I was I could not give a good description of them to the officers. But I was able to tell them that the fat one was wearing brown boxer-briefs," he said.

BDA leader Craig Cannonier, who lives just a few doors away, was shocked by the news.

"I'm actually quite frightened," he said. "I'm shocked that this would happen in such a close-knit community. Everyone knows each other, everyone stands up for each other.

"It just goes to show that no one is safe anymore. We're going to wind up barricading ourselves in our own homes.

"This is not the Bermuda that I know. This is not Bermuda."

He highlighted it as another demonstration that the current Government is too soft on crime.

"The message is just not getting out there," he said.

Opposition leader and St. George's MP Kim Swan said he was worried by the increasing trend of violent crime in the recent months.

"I am especially concerned that this would happen in broad daylight," he said. "This criminal activity is the single greatest threat to our Country.

"To have something like this happen in my community, where my friends live, just hours after a shooting near Somerset Bridge where I grew up it's terrible."

Shots were fired on the main road in Somerset in the Hog Bay Level area just before 10 p.m. on Wednesday night.

Two men wearing dark visors rode past Steel City clothing store around 9.50 p.m., firing multiple shots at a group of three men.

None of the men were hit in the attack. A 44-year-old Sandys man suffered minor injuries after diving to the ground.

The day before, a 38-year-old was flown to Jamaica for medical treatment after he was stabbed near Langton Hill.

The recent spate of incidents led CrimeStoppers to urge members of the public to come forward with

Following this recent spat of incidents, CrimeStoppers Bermuda called for the public to come forward with information. A reward of up to $100,000 has been offered in exchange.

Chairman John Drew said: "We are very pleased and encouraged with the response we are getting from the public. The public are coming forward now, and we ask them to continue to do so.

"With the help of the community, every small piece of information comes together like a jigsaw puzzle and helps authorities put the missing pieces together."