British indie band Sports Team was robbed at gunpoint in Vallejo, California, on the opening day of its U.S. tour, losing passports, equipment, and various personal belongings.
The incident took place on Monday when the group, comprising frontman Alex Rice, guitarists Rob Knaggs and Henry Young, bassist Oli Dewdney, drummer Al Greenwood, and keyboardist Ben Mack, set off for the opening date of their tour.
Video shared with the BBC shows the thief pointing a gun at the band's tour manager as she approached the van.
"Obviously, if someone pulls a gun, you run for cover," Rice told the outlet. "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 band had stopped at Starbucks when the members were alerted to the robbery in progress by a passerby.
"Somebody opened the door and was like, does anybody have a white Sprinter van? Because you're being robbed right now," Greenwood told BBC.
"So we all ran out, shouting. 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.'"
"I really thought I was about to watch someone get shot, because it took a while for our tour manager to realize," she added.
According to the band, police advised the members to "fill out an online form" about the robbery but did not send officers to investigate. The thief stole electronics, like film cameras and laptops used on stage, along with the band's passports, documents, and suitcases filled with clothes. Greenwood also lost her personal journal.
"I know it sounds ridiculous," she said, "but that's almost the worst part."
The band's instruments were fortunately not taken, as they were kept in a separate, locked compartment at the back of the van. Despite the setback, the band is determined to keep going.
"We're definitely not going to let this put us off," said Greenwood.
"And ultimately, it really makes you reflect on things to be grateful for, both here and at home."
Zoe Papadakis ✉
Zoe Papadakis is a Newsmax writer based in South Africa with two decades of experience specializing in media and entertainment. She has been in the news industry as a reporter, writer and editor for newspapers, magazine and websites.
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