A MAN hopped from one balcony to another to steal an iPad from a neighbour's flat in Dartmouth.

The property was recovered and the offender cautioned, police chief Insp Andy Tomlinson told town councillors at their monthly meeting.

The incident was the one burglary in the town during March.

There were a total of 22 offences committed in Dartmouth during the month, two fewer than the same period last year, the meeting heard.

There were two arrests and two offences were dealt with by other means.

A total of three assaults during March included two involving domestic violence and a further incident when a man was punched on the embankment.

Inquiries are continuing regarding five incidents of criminal damage when red graffiti was painted on buildings in the town on a single night, said Insp Tomlinson.

An offender climbed scaffolding on one of the buildings.

Most of the paint has now been removed.

Police are also investigating the theft of a pair of Cyclops 90 binoculars, worth £900, from a holiday property in Sandquay Road, Dartmouth.

The binoculars were mounted on a tripod and would not have been easy to remove, a police spokesman said.

The owner believes they were taken from the vacant property between the middle of February and the end of March.

Anyone with any information regarding the theft should call police on 101, quoting crime reference JH/14/120.

Information is also being sought regarding damage to a blue New Holland tractor in a wooded area of Dittisham between Thursday, March 20, and Wednesday, March 26.

Two wing mirrors and two yellow flashing beacon lights were removed.

The area is used by walkers and if anyone has seen anything suspicious they should contact police quoting crime reference JH/14/114.

l Recorded crime in Devon has decreased slightly according to new figures announced on Wednesday.

Police welcome the news but acknowledge there are still some areas that need more attention, with domestic abuse remaining a high priority and alcohol related violence.

Overall crime between April 1, 2013, and March 31, 2014, went down by 0.3 per cent, 122 fewer crimes than the previous year.

There have been substantial reductions in non-dwelling burglary, robbery, dwelling burglary, criminal damage and vehicle offences.

Despite these reductions there have been some areas where crime levels have gone up, including domestic abuse, violence without injury, shoplifting, sexual offences, public order offences and violence with injury.

Chief Superintendent Paul Davies, Devon commander, praised those officers and staff who have who have worked hard over the last 12 months to ensure Devon remains a safe place to live.

'We have seen significant reductions in robbery, burglary and criminal damage which are all extremely difficult and stressful for victims to cope with and I am pleased to see these crimes continue to fall,' he said.

'Despite this there has been an increase in some areas and there is further work to do to reduce crime even more.

'Domestic abuse, which accounts for about a third of all violent crime, remains a high priority for us.

'This, along with sexual offences, is an area that has been traditionally under-reported to police.'

Reports of shoplifting have also increased and police taking action to tackle this, working with local partners and businesses, he said.

'We know there are challenges ahead in tackling levels of violent crime, particularly alcohol-related violence and these are areas we will be focusing particular attention on this year,' he added.