Crime in Dartmouth plummeted by more than 50 per cent last month.

The total number of offences reported during May this year stood at 14 – compared to 33 for the same month last year, police say.

Just one person was arrested during the month and three other suspected offenders dealt with via other means, Insp Andy Tomlinson told Dartmouth town councillors during his monthly report.

That included one domestic violence incident involving an alleged offence of grievous bodily harm where the woman ended up being cautioned.

Insp Tomlinson admitted it was extremely unusual for what appeared on the surface to be a serious offence dealt with by a caution.

But he told councillors a prosecution would probably have resulted in a lesser offence and in any event a prosecution had not been 'supported' by the victim.

The only other case of violence was another domestic incident and Insp Tomlinson said inquiries were 'ongoing'.

There was one house burglary but that was also domestic-related and involved furniture being removed from a flat.

He also reported that tools had been stolen from a development site and added: 'This is part of a wider series of similar offences committed in Salcombe, Thurlestone, Newton Ferrers, Kingswear and other coastal towns in Devon.'

He also said that there had been criminal damage to the bus shelter in Coronation Park.

He added; 'We have some named juvenile offenders who will be dealt with in due course.'