A man who police said was on a cleaning crew at a Roswell elementary school is facing charges he stole $5,000 worth of iPads from the school.

Gale Silas Thomas turned himself into Roswell Police Monday, reported Channel 2's Mike Petchenik. Investigators said he admitted to stealing 10 iPads from Queen of Angels Elementary School on Woodstock Road.

"They are used especially for remedial students, so it's a tremendous loss for the school," said Pat Chivers, communications director for the Archdiocese of Atlanta. "It's a tremendous disappointment. These are tools that are needed by the students."

Chivers said the cleaning crew is an outside vendor and was waxing the school's floors last week. She said the crew had keys and access to a closet where the iPads were being kept.

Police told Petchenik surveillance video showed Thomas walking in and out of the school with a bag, which they believe contained the stolen items. Investigators believe Thomas sold the stolen tablets on the Internet and has admitted to using the proceeds to pay off medical bills.

Chivers told Petchenik the hired vendor has agreed to reimburse the school for its loss.

"It is very sad they would steal from children and steal at such a time when the economy is the way it is," she said.

Thomas is being held at the Roswell detention center awaiting transfer to the Fulton County jail on felony theft charges.