"We are stealing [while] you are asleep," the robbers spray-painted on a container next to the main police station building.

They even spray-painted a police van after they had loaded their own vehicle with building material - all while police officers allegedly snoozed.

A police officer, who did not want to named, said the robbers must have used the main gate to enter.

"They must have had keys because they opened the gate and entered the site. They [called the police] all sorts of names and used vulgar language in the messages they left behind," she said.

Police managers would not comment on why the officers were allegedly asleep on duty - instead insisting that the robbers had broken into a container outside the premises. But the container is on land belonging to the police. The police station is being extended to house an emergency call centre.

KwaZulu-Natal police spokesman Captain Thulani Zwane said: "We confirm that a case of house-breaking was opened after the container situated outside the station premises was broken into.

"No arrests have been made as yet.

"The container belongs to a construction company."