Pretoria - Laptop computers belonging to two advocates working on the Inge Lotz murder case were stolen from their Cape Town offices over the weekend, it was reported on Wednesday.

On Saturday night, the office of advocate Barry Pienaar was broken into, and on Sunday night, the office of advocate Dup de Bruyn.

Their offices were on different floors, Beeld reported.

Pienaar's computer, as well as memory sticks and backup DVDs containing information, was stolen from a draw in his secretary's desk.

De Bruyn said on Tuesday that someone had broken the lock on his office door, and taken his computer as well as a bag containing his toga.

"In an office complex with 35 advocates, they targeted me and advocate Pienaar... it's very strange," De Bruyn said, adding that the two offices were quite some distance apart.

Everything they were working on was stolen, and whereas advocate De Bruyn had a backup system for his files, advocate Pienaar lost all his files and research.

Fanie Zaayman, district manager for the security company responsible for safeguarding the building, said it looked like the theft was more about acquiring specific data than about stealing computers.

Matie student Lotz was bludgeoned to death in her Stellenbosch apartment seven years ago.

Private detective and former policeman Piet Byleveld was recently asked by her parents to investigate the murder.
 

Sapa