around the Island, particularly at beach parking lots.

In an incident on Tuesday afternoon, a thief smashed a car window to get at a rucksack left on the front seat.

The person got away with $2,000 worth of goods which were in the bag, including computer equipment and a calculator.

The car had been parked at Horseshoe Bay in Southampton at about 3.20 p.m. and left unattended for about an hour.

"This type of incident has been occurring with alarming frequency at remote locations around the Island, particularly beach car parks,'' Police spokesman P.c. Gary Venning remarked.

"We have suggested many times that valuables should not be left in unattended vehicles.

"But in view of the recent trend, we would advise against leaving any type of bag visible in the vehicle. Obviously a potential thief doesn't know the contents of a bag until he has gained access, often causing considerable damage in the process.''