A WEYMOUTH community is coming together to crack down on crime blighting the area.

People in Littlemoor say they have had enough of a handful of problem families ruining the lives of the law-abiding majority.

Police officers, church groups and youth workers will be working with the community to tackle crime.

Dorset Echo:

Littlemoor’s Safer Neighbour-hood Team (SNT) is clubbing together with St Francis Church and IMPACT youth group to combat crime and anti-social behaviour in the area.

The move follows a spate of vehicle break-ins and arson attacks on cars in the area, with more than a dozen arrests in recent weeks.

Local SNT officers will be holding weekly drop-in sessions at the church in a bid to work with the community to bring an end to the recent problems.

PC Christine Gould said residents will be able to raise concerns and get advice and support on community policing issues.

She said: “What has been fed back to us is that the people of Littlemoor want more engagement with us.

“With this in mind we have set up these drop-in sessions where there will be information for residents on crime prevention and people can raise their own concerns.

“Rather than just doing more foot patrols we are trying to go to people and talk to them about local issues.

“We are trying to bring together as many different groups as possible, we’re working with IMPACT youth group and are planning to have Synergy Housing here in the near future.

“There is only a minority of people who cause problems and commit crimes in Littlemoor and we want to put a stop to it.”

PCSO Dave Hill encouraged residents to get in contact with SNT officers.

He said: “This is for anyone and everyone to come along to, we want to try and be more accessible to people.

“There has been a lot of work going on in Littlemoor behind the scenes and now we want to make sure the public know that we are here to help them.

“There are so many ways people can get in contact with us – when we’re out on the streets, over the phone, on email and we’re on Twitter now.

“The sessions will be led by the people who come to see us, if they raise a concern we will go away and find out more about it and do more to support them.

“There are a lot of young people and elderly people living in Littlemoor and I think it’s important to break down age barriers, which is where groups like IMPACT will come in.”

Darren Dalton, of St Francis Church, said: “Our church’s role is to be an active part of the community.

“These regular sessions will be a great way for people to come and speak to the police and take advantage of our community cafe.

“It’s about promoting unity within the different groups and organisations in Littlemoor and making sure people know we are working towards the same goal.”

The sessions will take place from 11am to 12pm every Friday.

For more information about Littlemoor SNT email littlemoorsnt@dorset.pnn.police.uk or Tweet @LittlemoorSNT

Campaign by residents ends lights blackout

STREET lights in Littlemoor were switched back on after a campaign by concerned residents.

A request to turn the lights back on in certain streets was sent by Dorset Police to Dorset County Council.

It comes after a spate of arson and vandalism in the area.

Inspector Les Fry, of Weymouth and Portland police, said the force decided to act after listening to concerned and frightened people in the area.

More than 300 people signed a petition launched by the Littlemoor community to get the lights back on last June.

Littlemoor was plunged into darkness when street lights were switched off across the county each day between midnight and 5.30am.