for security safes in guest rooms.

Sneak thieves raided one room at the Grotto Bay hotel some time before 2.30 a.m. yesterday.

The couple woke to find a camera, purse and wallet discarded on the balcony -- minus the cash.

Another couple at the same hotel reported a wallet stolen from a dresser.

Police urged hoteliers to install safes in rooms after a spate of break-ins during the holiday weekend.

Thieves struck at the Ariel Sands Hotel in Devonshire, the Newstead Guest House in Paget and the Pink Beach Club in Smith's, getting away with a stash of wallets, cash and credit cards.

Anyone with information should call Crimestoppers on 1-800-623-8477.

NIGHTCLUB PATRON ROBBED, PUNCHED CRM Nightclub patron robbed, punched Detectives are appealing for witnesses after a robber punched a nightclub reveller, then snatched two chains from around his neck.

Police said the 22-year-old victim suffered a broken nose at the Swinging Doors nightclub on Court Street. Anyone with information should call officers on 295-0011.

CHEF INJURED IN ACCIDENT IMPROVING AC Chef injured in accident improving A French chef badly hurt in a road accident in Bermuda recently is showing signs of making a recovery.

Pierre Riou, 21, who worked at the Cambridge Beaches resort, is now fully conscious and making positive steps of improvement, but remains in a serious but stable condition, according to a spokesman at the John Hopkins University Hospital in Baltimore, Maryland.

Mr. Riou was airlifted to the hospital after the crash, which involved his livery cycle and a taxi on Middle Road, Paget on May 14. He had only started work at the resort two weeks before.

MAYORS' EVENT SPAWNS NEW COMPANY CON Mayors' event spawns new company A management company will be set up to help co-ordinate local participation in the World Conference of Mayors 1998 Convention.

Corin Smith said the new firm would be called Gates Bay Limited and it would act as the vehicle for submitting local bids to the World Conference of Mayors and the African-American Global Trade & Tourism Council.

The conference is scheduled to be held in Bermuda between November 15 and 20 and organisers have estimated that it could attract between 1,500 and 3,000 people.

Mr. Smith can be reached on 292-1567 or 299-2379.