The Venezuelan wife of a Bermudian is to be escorted to the US to face theft charges in a Florida court after waiving her right to an extradition hearing in Magistrates' Court yesterday.

Xiomara Curley, a 30-year-old Devonshire resident, spent last night in prison after being denied bail by Acting Senior Magistrate Edward King and will be held in custody until her extradition.

Crown counsel Dorien Taylor said US authorities had requested that she be extradited after she had failed to show up in a Florida court in June and July last year to face charges of theft to the tune of $300,000.

She was arrested in the US, where she worked as an accounts receivable supervisor, in March last year and released on bail. The woman married a Bermuda resident and moved to the Island.

US authorities requested Curley's extradition early last month and she was arrested yesterday. Larry Mussenden, Curley's lawyer, told the court that his client had attempted to enter the US but was denied a visa by the US consul.

Before firmly rejecting his application for bail, Mr. King said that it was well known by people from the South that "you get hell to go to the United States". With the exception of people on the stop list for drug offences, "Bermudians don't know what it is to be denied a visa", he said.

"It would have been quite easy to say she missed court appearances in Florida." The woman should have gone to the United States consulate and said "'I surrender - I'm a fugitive from justice'", he added.

"This jurisdiction is hand in glove with the United States to hand over fugitives... This jurisdiction takes custody on behalf of the US," he said. "The only people we can hand over to are the agents of the United States. She is to be held in the safekeeping of this jurisdiction until handed over." Mr. Taylor said US Marshals were due on the Island today to pick up the woman.