£68,000 iPads haul taken in school raid

Thieves have stole 248 iPads worth £68,000 from the new South Wolverhampton & Bilston Academy, police revealed today.

A further five iMac machines worth £3,500 were also taken when the new £25 million building in Dudley Street, Bilston, was targeted. Police have launched an investigation and are currently trawling through CCTV.

Ward councillor Stephen Simkins said today: "This is absolutely scandlous. It is a direct attack on children's education. When you hear things like this, it makes you think there is no level these criminals will stoop to.

"Somebody somewhere will know where this equipment is and I would urge them to come forward and spark to the police. The tragic thing is that all of that equipment will have to be replaced at a cost to everyone else."

Police said the thieves got into the building, which is due to start taking pupils in September, through the roof some time between 2.30am and 3am on Monday.

Sergeant Alex Pritchard explained: "We are following up a number of lines of inquiry and are appealing for anyone who may have seen anything suspicious to come forward."

The new academy building, which is being created as part of Wolverhampton's £270 million Building Schools for the Future programme will welcome 1,200 pupils.

The four-storey building has become known as the 'Jenga Box' because of its shape and the wooden panels used for the facade.

Earlier this month, police warned schools near Stourbridge to step up security as computer equipment was stolen in a spate of thefts.

Up to £22,000 of computers and software was stolen from three schools in Hagley, while around £3,600 worth of laptops were taken from St Anne's Primary School, in Bewdley.