A TRIO of crooks have been jailed for a total of 14 years after admitting a string of burglaries at schools across Essex and Suffolk.

Christopher Kerr, 26, Liam Cook, 26, and Francis Wilding, 22, all entered guilty pleas to charges of conspiracy to commit burglary with intent to steal.

Kerr, of Halstead Road, Frinton, and Wilding, of Melton Close, Clacton, were both handed prison terms of five years and four months.

Cook, of Bushell Way, Frinton, was sentenced to three years and four months in jail.

Laptops and computer equipment were stolen from primary and secondary schools across Essex and Suffolk between August 2012 and May 2013. 

Speaking after sentencing, Det Insp Nick Power said the crooks had caused "considerable disruption" to schools.

"Over a nine-month period, virtually every other day we would receive a report of another break in at a school either overnight or at weekends," he said.

"The trio had no regard to how this was affecting people or the disruption it caused."