armed robbers who attacked a store owner with machetes.

The appeal was made following an attempted robbery at the Harrington Hundreds grocery store in Smith's on Monday night.

Store owner Anthony Aguiar was badly cut up by the two men after they burst into the supermarket just after 6.30 p.m.

But they fled empty handed after the wounded owner chased them off the premises.

Mr. Aguiar underwent emergency surgery to stomach wounds after the attack and was still recovering at the King Edward VII Memorial Hospital last night.

Although his injuries are not life threatening a hospital spokeswoman said that he was still in deep shock and unable to talk to reporters.

A Police spokeswoman would not comment on how close detectives are to cracking the failed robbery and would only confirm that the investigation was ongoing.

But she added that the public had been valuable in providing information about the attack. "We have had a lot of help from the public and we are now following up several leads from information that we have received,'' the spokeswoman said.

"But we are still appealing for assistance from any members of the public who may have seen any suspicious activity in the vicinity of Harrington Hundreds around the time leading up to and just after the robbery.'' The first suspect is described as being about five feet eight inches tall, slim build, brown skinned and wearing a dark coloured jacket, black track-type pants with a white stripe and a white helmet.

Police hunt for armed robbers The second attacker wore a black crash helmet, a dark coloured jacket and long white pants. He was said to be about six feet tall, dark brown skinned and of medium build.

Both suspects wore purple coloured masks. Some of the suspects' clothing and their stolen getaway bike were later recovered by Police.

The vicious attack has prompted one community activist to urge the public to become more involved in tackling crime.

W.A. (Toppy) Cowen, chairman of the Police Eastern Division Consultative Committee, said: "It is time for Bermuda to take a no-nonsense approach.

"We must come together to make a stand against criminals and not hide behind locked doors because we don't want to become involved.

"Once again we see criminal acts being committed in broad daylight which prompts the question -- do we have adequate public safety measures in place and when is the community going to realise the importance of community policing? "With the moral decay that has caused an erosion in our society we must speak up when we see criminal acts. If nothing else our conscience should tell us it's the right thing to do. Bermuda will become a scary place to live if we do not report criminal incidents.''