Inspector Gordon Cryle told Montrose Community Council at their January meeting there had been "significant" reductions in crime.

Crime in the town during December was down 23% on last year. Up till January 24, crime for the month was down 46%.
Mr Cryle said although the figures did not include the last week of the month, "all indications are that it is going to be a significant reduction".

Two of the areas the Community Task Force concentrated on were vandalism and youths causing annoyance. Across the Eastern Division, for the first nine months of 2009/10, vandalism crimes dropped 18% compared to the previous year.

There was a 31% drop in youth crimes across the division for the same period – the biggest reduction out of all three Tayside Police divisions.

Mr Cryle said police would not be complacent about the downturn in crime and are still experiencing problems in the Borrowfield and Victoria Bridge areas.

Police numbers in Montrose and Brechin have also been boosted by a number of new recruits over the last two months, which Mr Cryle hopes will help improve police visibility.

Councillor David May welcomed the news that crime was down on last year.

He said: "The task force strategy by the police has obviously been a success and the early signs are very good. I was delighted to hear from Inspector Cryle that we have an increase in police numbers in our area and I am sure this will be welcomed by people in the Montrose area."

At the community council meeting, community liaison officer PC Derek Mitchell, spoke about a number of current police initiatives and problems, including the legal high drug 'bubbles'.

The drug's main ingredient is mephedrone and although it is not currently a controlled drug under the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971, anyone caught with it can still be arrested.

PC Mitchell urged anyone with any information on the drug to contact Tayside Police on 0300 111 2222 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.