British band robbed at gunpoint in Vallejo after arriving in US for tour
Video shows the moments British band Sports Team was robbed in Vallejo Tuesday morning.
SAN FRANCISCO (KGO) -- Video shows the moments British band Sports Team was robbed in Vallejo Tuesday morning. The band, which has had two Top 10 albums in the UK, had flown to America just hours before to begin a tour.
ABC7 News reporter Tim Johns spoke with the band's singer and drummer via Zoom.
They tell him earlier in the day, they had stopped in a local Starbucks, en route to their first show in Sacramento, when the robbery occurred.
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"Some guy came in sort of seconds later saying a white sprinter van was being broken into. So, instinctively, we all ran out and started shouting," said drummer Al Greenwood.
After running up to confront them, the band tells me the men robbing the van then brandished a gun.
"We retreated to go back inside and were forced to watch them carry out all our personal items from the van," Greenwood said.
The robbers took most of their personal belongings including laptops and their passports. However, they weren't able to get any of the instruments.
The group says while the incident was intense, the most shocking part was the reaction from other people after it happened.
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They tell ABC7 News they were struck by the impression folks gave off that things like this happen all the time.
"In the UK, you're incredibly shocked when someone's pulled a gun on you. But then in the US there's kind of this resigned nature from a lot of people, which we find a little bit strange," said Alex Rice, the group's singer.
Despite the incident, the band tells me it hasn't tainted their view of the Bay Area - a region they've been to several times and love.
They also say the support from fans has been comforting.
"I think we've been so overwhelmed by the response we've had from our fans and people in the Bay Area. And people reaching out to say they have family members in Sacramento and can they help. You definitely don't feel alone in this situation," said Greenwood.
The band eventually made it to Sacramento and played the first show as scheduled Tuesday night -- determined not to let the experience ruin their newly launched tour.
"Being able to play shows, connect with people, use music as a way of getting through experiences like that, there's nothing more special," Greenwood said.
ABC7 News did reach out to the Vallejo Police Department to see if they could comment on the robbery or ensuing investigation. As of Tuesday night, we haven't heard back.
