UK Band Sports Team Robbed At Gunpoint On US Tour
Footage captured from inside the Starbucks shows the suspect brandishing a firearm at the group's tour manager as she approached the van.
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The British indie band Sports Team was robbed at gunpoint on Tuesday during the US leg of their tour near San Francisco, the group revealed on Instagram. In a statement, the six-member band said their tour van was ransacked while they stopped for breakfast at a Starbucks in Vallejo, California, around 8:45 a.m. local time. A thief stole stage equipment, laptops, passports, personal items, and other valuables. A passerby reportedly alerted the band to the break-in, and when members attempted to intervene, the suspect pulled out a gun.
"Somebody opened the door and was like: Does anybody have a white Sprinter van? Because you're being robbed right now," drummer Al Greenwood told the BBC.
"I really thought I was about to watch someone get shot because it took a while for our tour manager to realize," she added.
Footage captured from inside the Starbucks shows the suspect brandishing a firearm at the group's tour manager as she approached the van. The suspect is seen removing items from the vehicle while band members and bystanders sought cover inside.
"Obviously, if someone pulls a gun, you run for cover," singer Alex Rice told the BBC. "But the thing that struck me about it was the resignation. The people around us weren't very panicked at all. It seemed like a very everyday occurrence."
The group told Sky News that items including cameras, laptops, in-ear monitors and other personal items were taken. Thankfully, the instruments were safe because, as they explained, "the back of the van is fortified." However, frontman Alex Rice said three band members had their passports stolen.
The band contacted police, but claim officers declined to respond in person, instructing them to file an online report instead.
Despite the incident, Sports Team, known for achieving two top 10 albums in the UK, plans to continue their tour. They played in Sacramento on Tuesday evening and are scheduled to return to the area for another show on Saturday. Prior to this, their east coast performances had gone without incident.
