Premier League champions Manchester City turned to the police after a teenage fan snatched the match ball used in their dramatic Premier League title-clinching triumph.
The ball went missing in the melee that followed striker Sergio Agüero's last-ditch winner against Queens Park Rangers last Sunday when hundreds of City supporters spilled onto the Eastlands pitch as the final whistle blew.
After realising the ball was missing and studying CCTV footage of the pitch invasion, officials from the club on Thursday contacted Greater Manchester Police, who arrested the youth.
The fan was consequently "de-arrested" after the club opted not to press charges on condition he gave the ball back.
A spokesman for Greater Manchester Police said: "On Thursday, police were contacted by staff at Manchester City FC who said they wanted to report the theft of a match football.
"Acting on information provided, the following day officers arrested a 17-year-old boy on suspicion of theft but de-arrested him shortly after.
"It was decided the most appropriate cause of action was to use Restorative Justice, so the boy was taken to the Etihad Stadium where he met with security staff and resolved the matter."
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| Sergio Agüero's goal gave Manchester City the title, but where did the ball go? Photo: Reuters |
The ball went missing in the melee that followed striker Sergio Agüero's last-ditch winner against Queens Park Rangers last Sunday when hundreds of City supporters spilled onto the Eastlands pitch as the final whistle blew.
After realising the ball was missing and studying CCTV footage of the pitch invasion, officials from the club on Thursday contacted Greater Manchester Police, who arrested the youth.
The fan was consequently "de-arrested" after the club opted not to press charges on condition he gave the ball back.
A spokesman for Greater Manchester Police said: "On Thursday, police were contacted by staff at Manchester City FC who said they wanted to report the theft of a match football.
"Acting on information provided, the following day officers arrested a 17-year-old boy on suspicion of theft but de-arrested him shortly after.
"It was decided the most appropriate cause of action was to use Restorative Justice, so the boy was taken to the Etihad Stadium where he met with security staff and resolved the matter."
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Team
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