A visitor who has been coming to the Island for 35 years is vowing never to return again after her handbag ? containing vital heart medication ? was snatched from her as she sat in a Hamilton eatery.

Visitor Joanne Gallucci was sitting at Primavera Restaurant on Saturday when a young man reached between her legs, grabbed her bag and ran off.

?He was standing outside for five minutes looking in,? she said. ?I had the bag between my legs. He just ran by and grabbed it. I was so stunned I couldn?t even stand up. It happened so fast.

?I don?t want Bermuda to become one of those places where they say ?don?t go there?. We?ve been coming since 1971 and whatever crime or violence that was going on was happening internally between the gangs but now they are targeting the tourists and that?s wrong.

?I won?t be coming back. I was thinking about buying a condo here and it?s changed my mind.?

Being from New Jersey, Mrs. Gallucci said she is aware that crime happens everywhere but while Bermuda presents itself as a safe place for tourists, that no longer seems to be the case.

?I put my guard down because we were in Bermuda and it?s supposed to be safe here,? she said. ?I am from New Jersey so I know how to protect my bag, but I didn?t think I needed to here. If I don?t say anything people will come here and think it?s safe. You need to at least warn us.?

Police were helpful but Mrs. Gallucci said she was left with impression that there was little they could do about the crime.

Despite her affinity for Bermuda, she and her husband are now discussing alternative destinations for next year.

?The next time it happens the woman could be hurt and then things are going to get ugly,? she said.

Meanwhile Mrs. Galluci is hoping the purse snatcher will at least return the medication which was in her handbag.

She said no questions would be asked and that she didn?t want the money back but she urgently needs her medicine as she only has a couple of days supply left.

She is staying at the Fairmont Hamilton Princess.

She added that waking up Monday morning to the news of a murder and guns on the Island was another indication that Bermuda was going down hill.

?We definitely won?t be back here,? she said. ?We have great memories of the Island but I no longer feel safe on this Island.

?We have bikes and normally we would ride to Dockyard.

?But not now, not after the shooting.

?I don?t want to go through any neighbourhoods.?