Bosses of under-fire Coventry Contract Services have ordered an investigation after reports that £200,000 of tools have gone missing.

The council’s building and repairs division had already declared a tools amnesty among staff after his was discovered that £100,000 of equipment had gone missing but that figure may have trebled after fresh evidence from two further CCS depots.

The original inspection unearthed evidence at 961 Foleshill Road but the two latest depots to be audited for equipment at one at Whitley and 99 Foleshill Road.

Councillor Jack Harrison, who was brought in as chairman after the CCS hit trouble, refused to reveal the exact figure but said he intended to get to the bottom of the problem.

He said:

"I have asked for a report. I do not know the exact figure but it is substantial. To bring the CCS into surplus we looked requisitions and stores and this is when it came to light.

"It does surprise me. There is now a strict programme of stores procedures and a training process for stores staff.

"There was a £100,000 of equipment unaccounted for at 961 Foleshill Road and we have got £20,000 back from the amnesty."

Councillor Harrison said that police would be called in if there was evidence of dishonesty. That follows the case of three containers of tools which were found at a depot under the ring road. They were secured but when they were due to be collected, two had been removed.

Councillor Harrison added:

"You have to bear in mind that we are talking about around £200,000 in a £50 million-plus business.

"The police will be informed if there is any instances of dishonesty."