An American couple ended up on a nightmare vacation this week after an attempted robbery and moped crash ruined the peaceful holiday they had planned.

Clyde and Teresa Tant, who live in Atlanta, Georgia, had planned on a spending a relaxing week?s vacation in Bermuda sightseeing and enjoying the beach. Instead they are both in hospital recovering from their ordeals.

The couple, who were high school sweethearts, reunited after 23 years and had looked forward to a brief respite from their busy real estate development business.

However, their hopes for a peaceful vacation were shattered early Monday when Mrs. Tant awoke to find a man in their room at the Harmony Club hotel attempting to steal from them.

When spoke to Mrs. Tant yesterday she said she woke up at 4 a.m. and saw what she originally thought was a dog crawling around on the floor.

?When I realised it was a man I screamed,? she said. ?He got up and looked at me straight in the face and ran out of the room and got out through the bathroom window. It?s such a traumatic experience to wake up and have someone hanging over you.?

She believes the man got into the ground floor room from an open window. According to a Police report, the man is six-foot-one-inch in height, dark skinned and was wearing a red or orange shirt. He appeared to be in his early 30s.

On the same night Police reported that another couple visiting the Island who were staying at another guest house in Paget, had an undisclosed amount of cash stolen from their hotel room while they slept.

The following day the Tants tried to relax with a day of sightseeing in Dockyard. But the couple lost control of their rental scooter and had to be rushed to the emergency room.

The Tants are now in hospital recovering from their injuries which are so severe they cannot travel home today as planned. Mr. Tant has seven broken ribs and a broken shoulder and Mrs. Tant has an injured ankle.

Although they have been through a nightmare trip, the couple said they would come back to Bermuda but they would not rent scooters, which they believe are dangerous for visitors. They are also urging guest houses and small hotels to employ security guards and put up proper lighting. ?It?s not cheap, but if you start losing your guests the word gets out,? said Mr. Tant.

Mrs. Tant said she would not mind seeing security bars on hotel windows as this will help to reassure visitors that they are safe.

She also stressed the importance of employing a security guard and installing security lighting behind buildings to alert hotel owners of robbers who may be prowling around in the area.

?It?s another salary, but how good would it make visitors feel to know there was a security guard and proper bars on the window.?

The couple are all praise for the medical staff at the hospital, however. ?There are so many angels here, everyone has been so kind to us. I?ve never felt so at home. If this had to happen to us, I?m glad it happened in a place like Bermuda.?

Police spokesperson Robin Simmons said there have been a number of thefts reported recently from public beaches and hotel room properties. Between May 1 and May 31 of this year there have been nine reported breaking and entrys where tourists were involved according to Police.

?We still would urge visitors to use their common sense although they?re in Bermuda and secure their belongings at all times,? he said. ?They should also make sure all windows in their rooms are secured when going out or before they go to bed at night.?

President of Bermuda Resort Hotels Billy Griffith, who also manages the Harmony Club, said the hotel is conscious of lighting and is making an attempt to light the back of the property, which runs along the railway trail.

?We will be installing some more security lamps to add to the spot security lamps we have in the area,? he said. ?We have a full security staff 24 hours a day who are constantly on alert for robbery.?