Thieves stole more than £3,000 of equipment from police across Shropshire within five years, figures have revealed.

One of the most expensive items taken was an £800 breathalyser taken from the Shropshire division of West Mercia Police last year.

The most expensive item taken from Telford police was a £300 pair of overalls.

The cheapest item stolen in Shropshire was a £25 mobile phone and in Telford a £1 microphone earpiece.

The total value of the stolen items across the two divisions was £3,411.

Figures, which were released through a Freedom of Information request, showed 12 items, valued at a total of £1,936, were stolen between 2005 and 2009 in the Shropshire division. And 23 items, worth £1,475, were stolen from Telford police during the same period.

A West Mercia Police spokesman said six of the items stolen from Shropshire had been recovered and four people were prosecuted in connection with the thefts.

Two items were recovered in Telford but nobody was prosecuted, even though a total of seven items valued at £408.50, were taken in 2009.

The seven items taken from Telford relate to two people and two separate incidents.

Both people, one of whom was working within the police force at the time, were cautioned.

The West Mercia Police employee no longer works for the organisation, however it is not known under what circumstances the person left.

The figures also revealed that three employees were found guilty of theft in 2006 and two more were found guilty of theft in 2009.

Other items stolen from the police included a mobile phone and an airwave microphone.

Police property being used throughout the county was also targeted, including police road signs used to appeal for witnesses at crash sites.

The £800 breathalyser was later recovered, police chiefs said.

Chris Ammonds, spokesman for Telford Police said: “We treat every theft reported to us very seriously.”

He added: “We can confirm that the two individuals were both given police cautions as a result of the thefts — neither individual had any previous criminal convictions.

“We can also confirm that one of the individuals was working for West Mercia Police at the time of the theft but they are no longer employed by the organisation.”

By Kirsty Smallman