A POLICE chief has issued a rallying cry to the people of Portland to help tackle crime.

The call from Inspector Tony Rudd comes after two robberies on Portland which he said had shocked islanders.

Insp Rudd, who is in charge of policing for West Weymouth and Portland, said he wanted to implement a long-term strategy involving his officers and the community.

But he said this could only be done with the support of residents who can supply the police with valuable intelligence to aid operations and help them detect crime.

Councillors, traders and householders will be invited to a meeting in the next few weeks to discuss tactics.

Insp Rudd said Portland had seen relatively low crime levels but the two robberies, which are still being investigated, had sparked fears that the island was a 'soft-touch' for criminals.

Last month two men brandishing a gun and a crowbar held up the office of Hull Gregson and Hull's estate agency in Easton Street. Staff and customers were terrorised by the masked raiders who fled in a stolen car with hundreds of pounds in cash.

In the second incident which happened just last week a masked man robbed Chesil Beach Motors in Easton Lane. He threatened the woman cashier with a knife before escaping with cash and phone cards.

Insp Rudd said: "These two robberies were terrifying for the people involved but islanders were also left shocked. Crimes can be dramatically reduced with the involvement of the public and it is my aim to encourage people to be more involved. If people in a community look after each other it will help deter criminals."

He added: "I'm not interested in a quick fix-solution. I'm a supporter of a long-term sustainable solution to reduce crime."

Insp Rudd also urged people to report suspicious activity to the police to help them build intelligence and added: "It's about having that sense of community. More nosy parkers would make my job a lot easier."

Contact police on (01305) 767474 or 226601 between 8am and midnight. The Crimestoppers confidential hotline is 0800 555 111.