The attempted firebombing of a Police car in St. George's could be the start of a summer of violence which could end in death, fears Mayor Henry Hayward.

His concerns were echoed by several leading members of the St. George's community who are sick of living in a climate of violence.

Late on Tuesday night a Molotov cocktail was thrown at a Police car parked outside the St. George's Police station. It did not explode but left a large dent in the vehicle.

A 17-year-old youth seen walking away from the area was arrested in connection with the incident.

The incident follows the firebombing of two cars outside St. George's homes on Tuesday morning. Two youths aged 17 and 18 are now in custody for those incidents.

Mr. Hayward said gang members had followed one of his workers on the job to threaten him.

He said: "People will do something to protect themselves, if the situation got violent enough they could kill."

Several residents told The Royal Gazette of violent confrontations with gangs openly brandishing baseball bats and machetes.

Shadow Labour, Home Affairs and Public Safety Minister Patricia Gordon-Pamplin said St. George's was heading towards "vigilante justice" and urged parents to take responsibility for the behaviour of their children.

One respected local businessman, who refused to give his name for fear of retribution, said: "It's going to get worse before it gets better. There will be blood shed, more violence."

He said it was time Police got tough by sending armed units in paddy wagons but he said the public would then accuse the Police of being heavy handed in dealing with the troublemakers. "Many people in the town still don't understand the significance of what's going on - they think it's just kids."

He said residents are having to take the law into their own hands while some were locking their doors and not coming out at night.

"People will defend themselves and their property but those byes have weapons. People could die. The youth are doing whatever they want."

One man who had fought with gang members said his property and children had been threatened because he had got into a dispute with the thugs.

He said many locals were reluctant to file complaints because they had a lot to lose.

"But I can't stand back and watch a lot of 17-year-olds run rampant. These kids think they have nothing to lose but mommy and daddy takes care of them.

"They think they are from the `ghetto' but they don't know what a ghetto is. They just watch too much American television."

The man said Police needed to be a bit smarter in how they went about catching the hooligans. Last summer there were a series of attacks on people in the Old Town Square and someone was stabbed on Ordnance Island.

Mr. Hayward said a church group had formed to meet with youth hanging about the town.

He said: "It doesn't seem to be making much progress but we are not giving up."

The violence is the fault of three or four ringleaders believes Mr. Hayward. He called on Police to step up patrols and said residents would continue their campaign to keep a meaningful Police presence in the town despite Government plans to move the main east end station to Southside.

Mr. Hayward said: "Colonel Burch (Government Minister Without Portfolio Senator David Burch) said there was no money in the budget for a 24-hour Police station in St. George's. But there's no money in the budget to restore the current Police station. None whatsoever."

Mr. Hayward said local MP Delaey Robinson had supported the campaign to keep a police station in St. George's but there had been no word from Premier Jennifer Smith. He said three policemen were needed in the town during the day while six to eight were needed overnight.

"You very seldom see police walking the beat. The tourist season starts in two weeks time and there will be 3,000 people here over four or five days a week. But there's no police presence."

He said Police in the old town had been given bicycles to allow them to patrol the streets in 1996 but they have never been seen since.

Mr. Hayward said he had raised this with Police Commissioner Jonathan Smith but was told the bike idea dated back to former Commissioner Colin Coxall. One resident said: "It is safer in Manhattan than it is in St. George's at the moment because in New York there are cops everywhere you look but you never see Police patrolling the streets here."

Instead, he said Police were more interested in catching speeders at Kindley Field.

He said: "There are gangs of drunks hanging around Penno's Wharf. The Police just move them on, they are a joke."

While another worried local woman said: "It's a powder keg right now."

Shadow Home Affairs Minister Mrs. Gordon-Pamplin said: "Some of the problem youth have reached that level of anti-social behaviour at the behest of their parents. "Now is the time for parents to accept responsibility for the state of affairs. To the extent that parents are unwilling or unable to intervene, the neighbours must be willing to identify lawbreakers, and the courts must be prepared to deal with the offenders in an appropriate way.

"We must question where is the National Youth Corps that was heralded and promised by the PLP.

"They have dropped the ball in this area, but they must, with the help of us all, pick it up and start rolling again.

"We are heading down the path of vigilante justice and total anarchy in the community, and we must stop it before it becomes totally out of hand.

Police have stepped up night patrols and have promised zero tolerance for gang activity after the firebomb attacks which have rocked St. George's.

Six police support unit officers have been roaming the streets every night since March 28.

Eight CID officers, are now looking into the recent criminal acts. Commissioner Jonathan Smith said: "An attack on the Police station is an attack on law and order. This attack on the station, coming on the heels of the recent assaults on four of our officers gives me concern about the safety of our officers and the safety of our stations and those who work within them.

Police are appealing for witnesses or individuals with information to contact Det. Insp. Clarke Minors on 297 1122 or call the confidential Crimestoppers hotline on 1 800 623 8477.