one bungled attempt.

And last night Public Safety Minister Quinton Edness condemned the snatches: "This is preying on women and these crimes are the vicious, cowardly acts of hyenas.'' Mr. Edness was speaking after a female visitor walking along Front Street in the early hours of yesterday morning had her shoulder bag stolen by a man on foot.

The bag was later found in Reid Street by two members of the public -- but minus money and valuables.

The snatch is the latest in a mini-crime wave sweeping the Island, with visitors being the main targets.

Bag snatches threaten economy It is believed that there have been 14 handbag snatches in the last week.

Shortly after midnight on Friday a visitor was walking along Front Street near Bermudiana Road when a man came up behind her and grabbed her bag.

He ran up Par-La-Ville Road while pursued by a member of the public. The thief managed to escape but dropped the bag which was retrieved and returned to the woman minus a quantity of cash.

Earlier in the evening another woman was riding west on Harbour Road near Cobbs Hill Road when a motor cycle without its lights on came up behind her and its rider grabbed her bag from her rear basket.

Mr. Edness said attacks on visitors could put tourism at risk.

He said: "It threatens the economy and the general welfare of everyone. I saw this happen to a country in the Caribbean many years ago and people just wouldn't go there.''