Jordan Housiaux wants her life back.
The University of Otago marine science masters student is appealing for the return of a hard-drive containing two years of irreplaceable research, and six years of family photos.
The external hard-drive and three laptops, two iPods, speakers, a wallet and car keys were taken when her Maitland St home was burgled on Saturday night.
''I was absolutely devastated. I just couldn't believe it.
''Material possessions can be replaced, but my research is two years of my life dedicated in words that mean nothing to anyone else.
Miss Housiaux said she thought she was ''over the top'' with her research, saving it to her laptop, hard-drive and two USBs, which were stored in three different places at her home.
''But they still managed to steal all three things.''
Police had lifted fingerprints in the home, and she confirmed the contents of her home were insured.
She was appealing for the return of her hard-drive, as the device was ''the back-up to my whole life''.
''It won't matter to anyone else but it matters to me,'' she said of the hard-drive contents, noting her thesis was due in April.
The hard-drive was black with a green leprechaun sticker on the front.
She was offering $300 for its safe return as long as the files were still intact, no questions asked.
Miss Housiaux can be contacted on 027 312 2437.
