A BURGLAR described as the 'lowest of the low' was caught on camera targeting a lifesaving charity.

An intruder broke into the National Coastwatch Institution at Portland Bill, snatching a charity box and causing more than a £1,500 worth of damage.

Watch the CCTV footage below

Volunteers at the centre, who keep an eye on the coastline and tidal race around Portland, described their shock that after 19 years they had been targeted in such a way.

The station was founded in 1997 and has never experienced a break-in, but volunteers turned up for their look-out shift and found smashed glass strewn across the office and boxes thrown out onto the grass.

Police are investigating the incident and the volunteers have released CCTV images and film of the offender in the hope that someone will recognise him.

Station Manager Geoff Peters said: “It came as such a shock because we have been here since 1997 and we have never had a problem before.”

He hit out at the burglar as the “lowest of the low,” targeting a group of volunteers who were “trying to save lives.”

He said the CCTV shows the offender approach the main entrance, adding: “He tries to find the security combination number. He’s so cool. He’s there in the floodlight. He spent quite a few minutes doing that. Then he went round to the side of the centre.”

Mr Peters added that the man then climbed up the back and broke in through a door and window.

It is believed that the alarms then went off.

The burglar made off with the collection box which contained a small amount of money as all the boxes are emptied each day. He also threw a box of pens out of the window and across the grass.

The NCI centre was also targeted in the two weeks leading up to the break-in, when on two occasions the collection boxes outside were targeted. Again, very little money was taken and the boxes have now been removed. It is not known if the incidents are related.

All in all the damage from the break-in has cost the charity more than £1,500. NCI relies on donations to keep it going and is staffed by a dedicated group of volunteers from 7am-7pm every day of the year.

The station has a burglar alarm, locks, CCTV and all its equipment is marked with SmartWater identification. Since the incident the security has been stepped up even further.

A spokesman for Dorset Police said: “We received a call at 8.12am on Sunday, April 24, reporting a burglary had occurred at the National Coastwatch Institution at Portland Bill.

"The property was broken into. It appears they stole a charity box containing a small amount of money and a plastic container with a number of pens inside.”

Witnesses and anyone with information should call Dorset Police on 101 quoting incident 24:111.