Armed gang raids S Africa court

The robbers seemed to know the lay out of the High Court

South African police are investigating an audacious raid on the Johannesburg High Court.

A gang of men dressed as police officers stole documents related to a number of high-profile crime cases.

They overpowered security guards and tied them up on Sunday night before stealing papers from the office of a senior state prosecutor.

Some of the documents were related to a case concerning one of South Africa's biggest bank robberies.

In that case, which was due to open on Monday, nearly $6 million was stolen from the FNB bank two years ago.

An official said the raiders appeared to know the layout of the building.

South Africa's National Prosecution Authority said no arrests have yet been made but the police have launched an investigation into the robbery.

Director of Public Prosecutions Charin de Beer said the raid on the court had been organised with "military precision."

Ms de Beer said she believed the people involved were linked to the bank robbery.

But describing the court raid as "bizarre", she added that none of the lost documents would stop or even hamper any prosecution or investigation.