A Wangaratta man will appear in court on Monday accused of stealing a car and breaking into the school and several businesses in the space of a few hours.

Everton’s principal Haley Quayle said the school had raised $3000 to buy the iPads to ensure pupils had as much opportunity as those in bigger schools.

“We used them for classroom activities, literacy and numeracy and to play games,” she said.

“The students loved them a lot and they’re very sad.

“It’s a double blow. It’s not what this time of year is about.”

Ms Quayle said the school would have to do more fund-raising if the tablets weren’t found and pupils would miss out in the meantime.

“We’ve only got two weeks of school left and, if we don’t get the computers back, we’ll hopefully get new ones for the new school year,” she said.

Detective Sen-Constable Jason Bray, of Wangaratta, said Pitari’s Cafe Centro in Murphy Street and a home in Templeton Street were also burgled, while a Mazda 626 was stolen from One Mile Motors in the town.

He said there were attempted burglaries at seven other businesses.

A man was arrested in Templeton Street early yesterday after residents reported seeing a Mazda being driven erratically.

“We had numerous reports of a car being driven around on its rims,” Sen-Constable Bray said.

A Wangaratta man, 31, was charged yesterday afternoon with burglary, theft and theft of a car.

Police said he had been remanded in an out-of-sessions court hearing to face the Wangaratta Magistrates Court on Monday.