Bermuda?s tourism industry took another blow on Saturday night after an American visitor was forced to use a taxi to escape from a man who attempted to rob him with a machete.

Police said yesterday that at around 11.25 p.m. on Saturday, Police received a report of an attempted robbery on Front Street in the City of Hamilton.

?The victim, an American visitor to the Island, stated that around 11.10 p.m. on Saturday he was walking alone on Front Street near the birdcage in a westerly direction,? Police said.

?He crossed the road and and continued to walk along Front Street heading toward the Ferry Terminal. As he walked, he noticed someone walking in the same direction behind a hedge that separates the sidewalk and the cycle parking bays near the Number One Shed.?

?When he reached the end of the hedge, an unknown man approached him from the other side of the hedge and demanded money.

?The visitor told the man he did not have any money, but the man continued to make demands for money and brandished a machete.

?The visitor again stated that he had no money before running East on Front Street towards the taxi area in front of Smith?s. He then got in a taxi and informed the driver what happened and the taxi took the victim to his intended destination.

?Not content to let his first victim escape unscathed, the robber then threatened another man in the area with his machete.?

Police added: ?The suspect in this incident also threatened another man who was sitting in the area and made demands of money from him while brandishing a machete shortly afterwards.

?In both incidents, no one was injured and no money was taken,? Police said.

And Police think they might have caught the machete-wielding man.

?Four men ranging in age from 22- to 32-years-old are currently in custody assisting Police with their inquiries into this incident.

?Police are appealing for any witnesses to this incident or anyone with any information to contact Acting Insp. Stephanie Thompson at Hamilton Criminal Investigation Unit on 295-0011.

?We are especially interested in speaking with the taxi driver who took the visitor (victim) to his intended destination after the robbery, as well as any other taxi driver in the vicinity at the time of the incident who observed and unusual / suspicious activity,? Police said yesterday.

Attempts to reach the taxi driver or the visitor were unsuccessful by press time last night.