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Calgary police are investigating an unprecedented theft of more than 200 batteries from 79 school buses that left hundreds of children waiting in the cold Monday.

Investigators suspect the thieves may have swiped the 237 batteries from Southland Transportation’s yard in northeast Calgary to sell components, including lead.

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But they’re not ruling out other avenues, including whether one or more of the criminals are linked to the yard, which had been left unlocked to allow for a late-night charter.

Police said they had never seen the size or scale of the battery theft, with the value of the stolen goods estimated at $20,000.

“We’re still looking at all the leads as to why this might have occurred and what the uses of the batteries might have been,” Staff Sgt. Brad Moore told reporters.

Officers have consulted with criminal intelligence and tactical units about a potential link to terrorism, but “nothing comes back as giant flags at this point in time,” Moore said.