Birmingham burglars torch musical instruments
Burglars ransacked 25 offices in Birmingham and started blazes which destroyed £250,000-worth of musical instruments.
The raiders struck at the Portland Centre, Edgbaston, which houses the city council's music service.
Several laptop computers were stolen and repairs to the building are estimated to cost £100,000.
Detectives, who are looking through CCTV footage, called the destruction a "wanton act of vandalism".
West Midlands Police said vandals kicked a hole in the door of the building on Portland Road in the early hours of 9 October.
Det Sgt Matt Stone, from Birmingham South CID, added: "The fire has caused a massive amount of damage and appears to have simply been a wanton act of vandalism."
A spokesman for Birmingham City Council said: "Due to the actions of mindless vandals, 30,000 Birmingham pupils who used the Centre each week will now miss out on the opportunity to learn through music."