How Desmond Tutu's house Was burgled while he was delivering a prayer at Mandela's memorial service

Anti-apartheid icon Desmond Tutu was burgled while he was paying tribute to Nelson Mandela at yesterday's memorial service.

The thieves apparently targeted his home (pictured right) in the suburbs of Cape Town in the knowledge that he was more than 800 miles away at the ceremony in Johannesburg.

It is the second time in four months that the former Archbishop of Cape Town has been the victim of burglars.

'I can confirm that there was a burglary last night,' his aide Roger Friedman said today. 'We are not able to tell exactly what was stolen, the archbishop and his wife were not at home. The house was not pillaged.'

Police said in a statement that the crime took place at some point between 7pm and 9pm on Tuesday.'At this stage we cannot give further details, as the investigation into the matter is still ongoing,' a spokesman said. 'No arrests have been made as yet.'

Mr Tutu, 82, gave the closing prayers at yesterday's ceremony to the former president in Johannesburg's FNB Stadium.