hundreds of feet of oil booms across the lawns less than 48 hours before the land was handed over.

The four ship's containers at Marginal Wharf had their doors kicked in and the contents, used to fight oil spills, ransacked.

It is thought that anchors, ropes and buoys were all stolen after the thieves pulled out about 1,000 feet of oil boom, leaving it coiled over the grass.

The incident happened on Wednesday afternoon, less than 48 hours before the land was due to be handed over to the Bermuda Government.

Yesterday, Mr. Ron Ross, the director of Marine and Ports Services, said he had contacted the Marine Police who were investigating the break-in by thieves who also stole some Bermuda Police Service property from a a dock.

"I am trying to get someone from the Department of Agriculture to go down and clean it up,'' he said. "It's sad that something like this should happen.'' When the break-in happened, only about 20 US personnel were left on the base which was officially handed over today.

Insp. Stephen Petty, of the Marine Police, said the equipment stolen and vandalised was equipment that the US was due to take away.

"Vandals just broke open the containers and left the stuff all over the grass. The containers had had their doors kicked in,'' he said.