Thieves raid Argentine home of Francis Ford Coppola

BUENOS AIRES (Reuters) - Thieves broke into the Buenos Aires home of film director Francis Ford Coppola and made off with a laptop containing work on his new movie, an employee said on Thursday.

The Oscar-winning director of "The Godfather" movies was out when five thieves raided the house late on Wednesday, injuring a member of the production crew working on Coppola's next film, "Tetro", due to start shooting in February.

"Coppola is very sad and the only thing he's asked for is to get back his computer, which is essential for him and for his work," the employee, who was not identified, told a local television station.

She said the thieves took computers and other digital equipment including a camera.

Coppola, 68, is living in the Argentine capital during the making of "Tetro", which is expected to launch 2009. It is a story about an artistic Italian immigrant family in Buenos Aires and is said to be reminiscent of his life.

Reuters/Nielsen