evening, the Police reported yesterday.

The incident, which is the fourth in the past week, occurred on Dundonald Street in Pembroke, near the Bull's Head parking lot.

The couple said they were walking toward Park Road at about 7.15 p.m. when the culprit approached them from behind on a motorcycle.

The thief grabbed the woman's leather shoulder bag and fled north on Park Road toward the car park.

The bag contained cash, credit cards and other personal items.

The last handbag snatch was reported in Tuesday's The Royal Gazette after a brazen thief knocked down a visiting older woman on Pitt's Bay Road and stole her handbag on Sunday.

Police Crime Prevention Officer Sergeant Chris Wilcox advised women to practice awareness while on the streets.

He said women should carry their handbags on the shoulder furthest from the roadside -- making it harder for a motorist to reach out and grab the strap.

He also urged people to practice caution and common sense -- such as ensuring the car has gas, parking close to the destination, using the buddy system and carrying a flashlight.

A recently published Police brochure called Security Advice for Woman advocates many of the rules Sgt. Wilcox refers to.

It's available from Hamilton, Somerset and St. George's Police stations as well as Bermuda College Library, National Library and the Women's Resource Centre.

Sgt. Wilcox also advocated the use of personal alarms, saying the noise produced by the device attracts attention. More recent models, which cost about $30, are equipped with a small flashlight.