POLICE in Newton Abbot used a Community Resolution to address a shop theft incident in the town this afternoon.

Police were notified just before 2pm on Wednesday, March 25, to reports of a theft from a shop on Queen Street.

Officers attended the scene and an individual was located and spoken to.

He was dealt with via Community Resolution as agreed by the shop, Devon & Cornwall Police have confirmed.

A community resolution is a non-statutory, out-of-court disposal used by police in England to handle minor offenses or anti-social behavior without formal sanctions.

It requires an admission of guilt, focuses on restorative justice and does not create a criminal record.