On the first day of their US tour, British indie band Sports Team was robbed at gunpoint; a burglar stole their tour van in Vallejo, California. Renowned for their chart-topping records in the UK, the band lost personal belongings, expensive stage equipment, and vital travel documentation in the incident; they are now considering their safety, given the degree of gun violence in the neighborhood.
Online footage shows the crime when a thief pointed a gun at the group’s tour manager as she walked towards their van. Another band member from inside a neighboring Starbucks caught the startling incident.
Why did the Band experience a feeling of resignation?
“You run for cover if someone pulls a gun,” explained the band’s lead vocalist, Alex Rice. The resignation caught me, though, as something rather remarkable. The individuals around us were not panicked at all. It was a relatively normal event.
This apathetic response to such a threatening scenario disturbed the band, who had expected more anxiety or alarm from onlookers.
What was the nature of the robbery?
The event happened about 8:45 AM local time as the band stopped at Starbucks for breakfast before making their US tour opening performance trip to Sacramento. Inside, a man pointed out the ongoing robbery to them.
Someone opened the door and said, “Does anyone have a white Sprinter van?” Drummer Al Greenwood stated, “You’re being robbed right now. As the situation grew more dire, the band hurried from the café, yelling at one another.
“Lauren, our tour manager, was slightly ahead of me, and somebody else ran past us in the opposite direction, and said, ‘Careful, he’s holding something,'” Greenwood added.
“It took some time for our tour manager to realise, so I thought I was about to watch someone get shot,” she said. “You hear me screaming at her in the video to get down.”
How did the Band React Inside the Starbucks?
The Starbucks security video shows the band members dodging back into the café to stay out of harm’s way. A female voice in the video encourages them, “Guys, get inside. Kindly remain inside.”
Staff members inside Starbucks seemed unconcerned about the developing drama despite the dire circumstances. “It was quite discombobulating since they just carried on with their shift,” said Greenwood. “They started serving drinks straight away,” Rice said, stressing the staff’s unsettling composure during such a stressful situation.
The way the Police handled the incident?
Once they called the cops, the band members were startled by the lack of haste in their reaction. They claimed they were instructed to “fill out an online form” to document the robbery, and no cops were sent to investigate the crime.
Parking outside, the robber broke the passenger window of their tour van. The band members hastily sought shelter as the burglar targeted their electronics—including film cameras, laptops, and other gear necessary for their stage presentations. The band will be wearing the same clothes for the next two weeks since they also lost their passports, personal records, and luggage, including their clothes.
The most personal loss the band suffered?
Among the most disturbing losses was Greenwood’s journal, which was taken during the heist. She said, “I know it sounds ridiculous,” but “that’s almost the worst part.”
Fortunately, the band’s instruments were kept in a separate, lockable compartment at the van’s rear, preventing the loss of vital musical equipment.
How Are They Proceeding on the Tour?
The band stays hopeful about carrying on their trip despite the disturbing beginning of their US trip. Greenwood remarked, “We are not going to let this cause us to postpone.” “And eventually, it makes you consider things to be grateful for, both here and at home.”
They are resolved to proceed with their scheduled presentations, which include a performance in Sacramento. “We shall keep playing,” Rice remarked. “We have no policies against the Bay Area. Though, unfortunately, it’s gotten to this sort of situation with gun violence, we think it’s fantastic here.
The band’s tenacity in the face of such a horrific tragedy is evidence of their dedication to the tour; their return to the Bay Area for another performance this Saturday shows their courage to carry forward.
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