Man arrested after spate of school burglaries

A bag, balaclava, gloves and screwdrivers have been found by police investigating the break-ins at schools

A man has been arrested after a spate of burglaries at primary and secondary schools across Coventry.

West Midlands Police said it had received reports of 15 burglaries where thousands of pounds' worth of laptops, iPads, and staff valuables were stolen.

Detectives were working to find out whether the items had since been sold or disposed of, the force said.

A man in his 50s has been arrested on suspicion of burglary.

The force said detectives had trawled through hours of CCTV and other video as part of the investigation.

Many of the stolen items were marked or tagged and may be recoverable, it added.

Sgt Kim Keating said: "This spate of burglaries has had a devastating impact on the resources available to our young pupils.

"It has greatly impacted on school budgets, risking their ability to provide extracurricular activities for pupils.

"A reminder to anyone buying electronic items, if it is a bargain price, or the seller cannot provide proof of purchase, do not buy and report to us."