AN intruder has admitted stealing a safe during a raid on a charity shop in Crediton.

Martin Way (38), of Station Yard, Crediton, pleaded guilty to the burglary at the Exeter Leukaemia Fund shop in the High Street between January 14 and 17, 2020.

He denied a second charge of breaking into the Holy Cross Parish Church in Church Street, Crediton, on February 3, 2020 and stealing a second safe.

Mr Brian Fitzherbert, prosecuting, said a decision had been taken not to pursue the second charge in the light of Way’s guilty plea to the first.

Judge Timothy Rose adjourned sentence and ordered the probation service to prepare a pre-sentence report. Way was bailed until March 11.

Defence barrister Miss Kelly Scrivener said there was a background of drug abuse and suggested Way may be suitable for a drug rehabilitation order because he is currently on a prescription for the heroin substitute methadone.

by Court Reporter