POLICE have charged a man following the theft of a bike in Newton Abbot.

Jake Ormerod, 34, of no fixed abode, Newton Abbot, has been charged with theft and remanded to appear before Newton Abbot Magistrates' Court today, Thursday, March 5.

Following concerns shared on social media, a formal crime report was received regarding the stolen bicycle.

Acting on this information, local officers arrested a suspect yesterday [Wednesday, March 4].

A spokesperson for Newton Abbot Police said: ‘Due to the nature of the case and the public concern involved, we ensured the suspect remained in custody ahead of his court appearance today.

‘This result shows that when you report crimes directly to us, we can take action to keep our neighbourhood safe’.