The break-in occurred on Tuesday as the 81-year-old Nobel Peace Prize winner and his wife Leah were at home sleeping, police has confirmed.
Tutu, the archbishop emeritus of Cape Town, apparently discovered that the house had been burgled when he woke up at around 5 am yesterday. Various small items were taken, including keys and remotes, local news broadcaster 'Eyewitness News' reported.
No one has been arrested yet. Tutu and his wife were not harmed in the incident.
"The suspect or suspects fled with small household items and are yet to be arrested," said Lieutenant Colonel Andre Traut of the Western Cape Police.
Burglaries are common in South Africa and are frequently accompanied by violence.
