4th May 2016. Police are searching for an intruder who broke into the NCI station at Portland Bill, snatched a charity box and caused more than a £1,500 worth of damage.

The station was founded in 1997 and has never experienced a break-in, but when watchkeepers arrived for their morning shift they discovered smashed glass strewn across the station and boxes thrown out onto the grass.

Station Manager Geoff Peters hit out at the burglar as the “lowest of the low,” for targeting a group of volunteers who are there to save lives. said: “It came as such a shock because we have been here since 1997 and we have never had a problem before.”.

Police are investigating the incident and NCI Partland Bill has released CCTV images and film of the offender in the hope that someone will recognise him. Geoff Peters 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 at which point it is believed that the alarms went off. The burglar made off with the collection box containing 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 station has a burglar alarm, locks, CCTV and all its equipment is marked with SmartWater identification and since the incident 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 that 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.