British band Sports Team robbed at gunpoint on US tour

The British set Sports Team person been robbed astatine gunpoint connected the archetypal time of their US tour.

The indie group, who person scored 2 apical 10 albums successful the UK, mislaid their passports, signifier instrumentality and idiosyncratic belongings successful the incident, arsenic a thief looted their circuit van successful the metropolis of Vallejo, successful the Bay country of California.

In footage shared with the BBC, the thief tin beryllium seen brandishing a weapon astatine the group's circuit manager arsenic she approached the van.

"Obviously, if idiosyncratic pulls a gun, you tally for cover," said vocalist Alex Rice. "But the happening that struck maine astir it was the resignation. The radical astir america weren't precise panicked astatine all. It seemed similar a precise mundane occurrence."

The incidental happened astir 5pm UK clip (9am successful California), arsenic the radical acceptable disconnected for the opening day of their tour, successful adjacent Sacramento.

They had stopped astatine a Starbucks for meal erstwhile a passerby alerted them to the robbery successful progress.

"Somebody opened the doorway and was like, does anybody person a achromatic Sprinter van? Because you're being robbed close now," drummer Al Greenwood told the BBC.

"So we each ran out, shouting. Lauren, our circuit manager, was somewhat up of me, and idiosyncratic other ran past america successful the other direction, and said, 'Careful, he's holding something.'"

"I truly thought I was astir to ticker idiosyncratic get shot, due to the fact that it took a portion for our circuit manager to realise," she added.

"In the video, you tin perceive maine screaming astatine her to get down."

The footage was filmed by different set subordinate from wrong Starbucks. In it, you tin perceive unit calmly advising the radical to get disconnected the street.

"Guys, get inside. Please enactment inside," says a pistillate voice, arsenic the bandmates duck backmost wrong the entrance.

"It was precise discombobulating due to the fact that they conscionable carried connected with their shift," said Greenwood.

"They started serving drinks consecutive away," added Rice.

When they contacted the police, the set accidental they were advised to "fill retired an online form" astir the robbery, and that nary officers were sent to investigate.

The BBC has contacted the section constabulary section for comment.

According to the group, the thief smashed the rider model of their circuit van, and chiefly targeted electronics, including movie cameras and laptops they usage connected stage.

They besides mislaid each of their passports and documents, arsenic good arsenic suitcases containing their clothes, "so we're going to wearing the aforesaid things for the adjacent 2 weeks".

Greenwood besides mislaid her diary successful the incident.

"I cognize it sounds ridiculous," she said, "but that's astir the worst part".

Luckily, the group's instruments were housed successful a separate, locked compartment astatine the backmost of the van.

The band, who are promoting their forthcoming 3rd album, Boys These Days, stay hopeful they tin play the opening amusement of their circuit connected Tuesday night.

'We're decidedly not going to fto this enactment america off," said Greenwood.

"And ultimately, it truly makes you bespeak connected things to beryllium grateful for, some present and astatine home."

The circuit volition adjacent instrumentality to the Bay Area connected Saturday night.

"We're gonna support playing," said Rice. "We've got thing against the Bay Area. We deliberation it's large present - but it's bittersweet that it's benignant of got to this benignant of spot with weapon violence."