LOS ANGELES, CA (Catholic Online) - Breyer, his wife and two other guests were at the justice's vacation home last week, but no one was injured in the incident.

The unidentified male assailant took $1,000 in cash and fled the scene, according to court spokeswoman Kathy Arberg. The robbery was reported to police last Thursday night. No arrests in the attack have been made as of Monday.

The incident has been labeled as "a crime of opportunity," as police have seen nothing so far to indicate Breyer was targeted for robbery.

The U.S. Marshals Service provides protection for members of the high court when they are traveling. Agency Spokesman Jeff Carter says that the marshals' service "is aware of the incident involving Justice Breyer on the Caribbean island of Nevis and is assisting the Supreme Court Police and local law enforcement authorities with the investigation as needed."

"We are assisting the local police with their investigation," FBI spokesman Paul Bresson said,

Police on the island were "actively searching for a known person of interest," Commissioner C.G. Walwyn of the Royal St. Christopher and Nevis Police Force said. "Our American-trained crime scene investigators and the members of our Criminal Investigators (unit) are working closely with the FBI on this case," he added.

Breyer had no comment. It's not yet known if he had returned to the United States. The high court is in recess this week, but the justices have scheduled a closed-door meeting this Friday to go over pending court business, and they resume public sessions next week.

Nevis is part of the West Indies chain known as the Leeward Islands, located about 350 miles southeast of Puerto Rico.

The court typically does not talk publicly about specific security arrangements for the justices, either when they are at home or on their frequent travels. Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg traveled to Egypt and Tunisia last month as part of an outreach program sponsored by the State Department.

Attacks on members of the federal judiciary are not new. Then-Justice David Souter was assaulted by a group of young males in 2004 while jogging alone in the evening near his Washington home. Souter suffered some minor bruises and was briefly treated then released from a local hospital.

In addition, Justice Byron White was attacked in July 1982 while giving a speech in Utah. That incident led to regular protection by U.S. marshals for members of the court when they travel.

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