Police will not be launching “a prostitute witch hunt” because it’s too difficult to know whether women are selling sex or hooking up with new guys.This is the view of National Security Minister Wayne Perinchief who says he is “loathe to intervene” in reports that prostitutes are openly touting for business on Front Street.Mr Perinchief questioned “the amount of flak” police officers would get if they “harassed” every woman seen chatting to a man outside Hamilton’s bars and restaurants.It comes as Front Street bar owner Rick Olson says he has been propositioned himself and reports up to 12 women aged from 18 to 40 offer their services in the early hours of the morning.Their illegal soliciting is watched over by ‘pimps’ and sexual acts are often carried out in the alleyways off Front Street.It is also understood that taxi drivers dropping businessmen off at city hotels also offer the services of prostitutes.Mr Perinchief said: “Police officers already patrol the streets and carry out regular patrols of licensed premises“If these women are being as discreet as everyone is saying, I’m not sure there’s much else the police can do.“From my perspective and from what the police have told me, I don’t think it’s a huge problem. I’m not downplaying it, it’s just not a priority area.”The police say they haven’t received any reports of prostitution, but it is understood that the women “try to get away with it” by asking indirect questions like ‘Do you want a date tonight?’Mr Perinchief said he would make sure prostitution was “an agenda item” when he meets with Police Commissioner Michael DeSilva today.However, he said men and women getting together while on nights out in Hamilton were “private encounters”.Mr Perinchief said: “What we don’t want to do here is having the police harassing every lone female on Front Street.“It seems to be very clandestine so I’m really loathe for the police to intervene any more. The police would be at risk of being intrusive and prying into people’s private lives.“We already come under all types of flak just for enforcing legislation such as stop and searches and that is when we are looking for guns and bullets.“I’m really not sure we want to go on a prostitute witch hunt”.The prostitution problem was highlighted by Opposition Senate Leader Michael Dunkley and reported on in Wednesday’s Royal Gazette. Mr Dunkley said it was “a sign of the times” as families were struggling to survive in the economic downturn.The story received more than 100 online comments, has become a talking point on Facebook and prompted others to speak out.Mr Olson, who owns The Bermuda Bistro at the Beach, said up to 12 “local” women worked Front Street and he’d seen “men disappearing with working girls”.He said the women usually ‘worked’ a small stretch of Front Street from The Beach to Port-O-Call and sometimes just feet away from patrolling police officers.Mr Olson said the women “weren’t dressed like you’d expect a prostitute to be dressed” and were “kept an eye on” by men sitting in cars or in nearby bars.He said: “I’m in town until 3am several nights a week and I always see them. They are there every night but only come out after midnight.“I leave The Beach by myself and I get approached. People may be blind to the problem, but that doesn’t mean it’s not happening.“They only target men on their own, usually when they walk out of bars. They aren’t aggressive, they are very polite and very quiet. They don’t pressure you if you aren’t interested, they just walk away.“There are often different faces and there are always men nearby watching them.”Mr Olson said he had also had to throw prostitutes out of his bar for coming in and soliciting men rather than buying drinks.He believes the prostitutes have slowly gravitated towards Front Street from the Court Street area as “that’s where they feel safer” following a spate of shootings.Mr Olson said: “It’s not how Bermuda wants to present itself. Seeing hookers and beggars together is not pretty.“They are a public nuisance but I wouldn’t say it was a problem as they are so discreet. “They don’t have their legs sticking out in the road, they quietly stand in doorways or behind pillars.”Hamilton’s Deputy Mayor Glen Smith said he was “amazed to hear” that prostitutes were operating in the heart of Hamilton.He said: “The Corporation doesn’t have any powers of arrest so we have to rely on the police and we will support the police in whatever action they take.“There’s no doubt about it, we are concerned about this. We have locals and visitors from overseas coming into Hamilton and they should not have to be the subject of solicitation.“We hope the Bermuda Police Service stamp it out in the city.”Acting Police Commissioner Mike Jackman said the police had not received any reports from people “being approached by females offering sexual favours”.He said: “Our police officers regularly and proactively patrol in the areas where there is night time economy, in particular throughout the Front Street area.“Prostitution is an offence punishable under the law and if reported to or encountered by police, will be dealt with accordingly.”Anyone with any information regarding prostitution should report it to police on 295-0011 or the Crime Stoppers hotline at 800-8477.