Schools across the West Midlands are targeted in crimewave
Thieves, vandals and arsonists have struck at the region's schools more than 400 times during 18 months, new figures show.
The attacks caused thousands of pounds worth of damage to schools in the Black Country and Staffordshire.
The news comes just weeks after Hurst Hill Primary School in Coseley revealed it had been targeted by metal thieves 16 times since November.
Across Dudley, Wolverhampton, Walsall and Sandwell, police were called 264 times about reports of burglaries, arson attacks and vandalism between April 2011 and November 2012.
Dudley and Sandwell schools had the highest number of reported crimes, with 77 logged in each borough. Dudley North MP Ian Austin branded the attacks on schools as "disgraceful", and called for offenders to be jailed.
Among the Sandwell schools targeted was Tameside Primary School in Wednesbury, where 20 laptops were stolen. In Wolverhampton there were 57 incidents, including the theft of £5,000 worth of lead from St Peter's Collegiate School, Compton. Walsall schools were hit 53 times, while there were 76 cases in Cannock, 47 in Stafford and 23 in Lichfield.
