epitomising overkill.

Sirens blaring, approximately 20 Police darted through neighbouring yards and brush conducting a massive manhunt while residents of the Hermitage Road development sought the perfect vantage point for watching the hunt.

The only thing missing was the sounds of helicopter blades whirring overhead.

"What's going on,'' asked one onlooker, pondering the scene. "Who are they looking for...a murderer, rapist, bank robber, O.J. Simpson, it must be something big.'' The answer: None of the above.

Instead, the source of the commotion was, a lowly pedal bike thief.

But no crime is too small for the Bermuda Police and the Island's finest responded with overwhelming force -- the entire force it seemed -- to find the escaped suspect.

The seeds for the manhunt were sown when a youth joined his friends at their customary hangout on the sidewalk outside Elliot School field.

The teenager, who surely rues his decision to hang with the fellas on that day, brought with him a shiny red Trek pedal cycle which drew the interest of a passing Police car, which happened to be accompanied by a plain-clothes officer riding a motorcycle.

Each came to a halt and quickly descended on the unsuspecting cyclist, stating the bike had been reported stolen and placed him under arrest.

But as the youth was placed in the Police car, he wriggled free and ran off.

While one officer chased the suspect on foot -- losing ground with every step -- the other called for back-up, but even he appeared surprised at the speed and numbers responding to the call.

In less than five minutes, six marked vehicles, a motorcycle and at least two unmarked cars were on the scene, hunting for the runaway, who was inevitably caught.

*** Torrential rains last Friday held up everyone including the courts. Lawyers, accustomed to Supreme Court punctuality, drummed their fingers but at fifteen minutes past the hour, there was still no sign of the honourable judge.

A kindly clerk bustled in to say the lady judge was not stranded beneath a bus shelter but was awaiting documents to be delivered from another court.

So Press and lawyers waited on.

Suddenly another clerk burst in, soaked through and clutching an armful of documents.

"We had a minor accident,'' she said breathlessly.

It turned out that she had snagged a ride from a friend because of the rain.

As they were turning into the Supreme Court drive, a black prison van loomed out of nowhere, almost crushing the car. But they escaped narrowly with just a minor scrape.

It wasn't long before those present saw the funny side of images of the court clerk crushed by a vanload of prisoners en route to court.

"I can just see The Royal Gazette headline,'' said one wit. " `Swift justice at Supreme Court'.'' *** It started with problems over a lack of microphones and poor acoustics, carried on to the absence of any secretary and then to whom should go first.

From the beginning, the Essential Industries Disputes Board has had to deal with one problem after the other and the chairman, Mr. Arnold Zack, has proved he has the patience of Job.

He produced microphones, was less successful with a secretary to note proceedings, and eventually got matters between the HEB and BIU underway.

But there was one thing Mr. Zack could neither predict nor prevent.

One evening, wanting to carry proceedings at the Cathedral Hall on until 8 p.m. he was stopped three hours short of his target. Canon James Francis apparently insisted the hall be locked and emptied.

Not even Mr. Zack could do anything to prevent that.