A GWENT town rocked by two armed robberies and a spate of petty crime is to get a major policing boost.

Fourteen police officers are to be based in Usk as it becomes the home of the crime reduction unit for Monmouthshire and Torfaen.

The move follows calls by local people for more bobbies on the beat in the area to combat crime - and reduce the fear of it. An inspector, two sergeants, and both plain- clothes officers and police constables will make Usk police station their headquarters following £50,000 worth of renovations.

The work to the second floor of the station - currently used for storage - is expected to be completed by May and will be paid for from existing budgets and partnership funding.

An additional four police officers from the general purpose vehicle unit have already moved to the station.

In November last year, Usk was rocked by two armed robberies in as many weeks at the post office and Spar shop.

A £100,000 robbery of a Llangibby house took place just a few months previously, when householder Jason Gundy was tied up and robbed at knifepoint.

Mr Gundy later told the Argus he was considering moving away from Usk because of crime in the area.

The area has also suffered a petty crime epidemic in recent months with a spate of shed burglaries.

Despite a number of arrests, many locals believe police cover is spread too thinly in Usk.

This is set to change, according to Superintendent Jon Burley, of Gwent Police.

"We have secured funding and we are definitely going ahead with the moving of the crime reduction unit to the second floor of Usk police station," said Supt Burley.

"The idea is not just about the problems the town had with robbers - although it is a spin-off of that.

"It's more to do with making a better use of police resources and putting officers where they are required.

"The people of Usk will see a higher policing presence in the area, on foot and in cars.

"We could have put more bobbies on the beat but it wouldn't resolve the crime we need to tackle in Monmouthshire, which tends to be with criminals travelling there from Cardiff, Newport and other areas."

Usk councillor John Harrhy, who is also a member of the Police Liaison Committee, said: "In my opinion this will instil a lot of confidence in the community and in the police, who should be thanked for coming up with such a scheme."