Thieves raid government buildings

A CRIME syndicate is targeting government buildings in Pretoria to steal laptops.

The latest building to be hit is Govan Mbeki House in Sunnyside, where the Department of Human Settlements has its offices.

The police are investigating after a laptop and speakers were stolen from the offices of the minister, Lindiwe Sisulu.

"They are following up on a gang that they say has been breaking into government offices and stealing laptops ... three or four offices have been broken into in Pretoria," said Ndivhuwo Mabaya, Sisulu's spokesman.

The thieves gained entry by breaking through the roof. They ransacked an office used by human settlements director-general Thabani Zulu and helped themselves to R200 from the petty cash box.

Mabaya said: "We were very angry about it. We're unhappy that any thug can break into our office. A government office must be safe at all times."

He said department officials took comfort from the fact that the thieves did not try to steal anything in the area where sensitive documents were stored. "We're seeing this as part of the crime spike in Sunnyside."