English Rock Band Claims They Were Robbed at Gunpoint Upon Arriving in California
Authorities report that the individual who called 911 was unable to confirm if the suspects were armed.
The alleged robbery occurred at the Starbucks Convenience Center at 199 Lincoln Road West in Vallejo, situated just off Highway 80, approximately 45 miles north of San Francisco International Airport, as stated by Vallejo Police Department Sgt. Rashad Hollis.
The suspects took personal items from the band but left their musical instruments, according to the group known as Sports Team.
“They can take our Nintendo Switches, but they can never take our ability to play rock songs about motorways,” the band posted.
The group mentioned they stopped for coffee about ten minutes after arriving in the area.
While they were placing their coffee order at Starbucks, a man rushed in to inform them that someone was breaking into their van.
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“We ran out to try to stop them and saw masked individuals rummaging through the van,” the band stated.
When they yelled at the suspects to halt, the robbers reportedly brandished a gun, as indicated by the band.
In a video shared on social media on Tuesday morning, one band member can be heard shouting “Get down!” to his peers, then urging someone within the convenience store to “call the police!”
Band members also mentioned that the robbers took a “bag” and a laptop.
The group has a concert scheduled for Tuesday in Sacramento, which they confirmed they will still attend.
Vallejo Police officers work at the scene of a shooting in Vallejo, Calif., on Sunday, Oct. 16, 2016. Two Northern California police officers who were taking a break at a coffee shop were targeted in an ambush that was foiled when the shooter’s gun malfunctioned, a police chief said. Chris Preovolos/San Francisco Chronicle via AP
According to the band, locals in the vicinity appeared unfazed by the incident.
“In all seriousness, it was quite shocking how resigned everyone seemed to be,” they wrote. “This happened at 9 a.m. at a gas station Starbucks. Incredible.”
Although the police were notified, the band was reportedly advised to “submit an online report,” which may have stemmed from a communication issue between the 911 caller and the band members who posted online.
The Vallejo Police Department noted that the individual who called 911 was asked repeatedly by the dispatcher whether the suspects were armed and if a gun was drawn, but the caller expressed uncertainty.
“No one was able to verify that a weapon was present,” Hollis informed The Epoch Times. “So, based on what was reported as a smash-and-grab—it constitutes a vehicle burglary. No lives were in immediate danger.”
Typically, vehicle burglary incidents necessitate victims to file reports online, according to Hollis.
Additionally, the Vallejo police department had to respond to another urgent call immediately following the reported vehicle break-in. This subsequent call involved a barricaded suspect connected to an assault with a deadly weapon, which required a SWAT response, thereby depleting the department’s resources. This situation extended until 3 a.m. on Wednesday, as reported by Hollis.
Sports Team’s next performance is slated for December 7 in San Francisco, followed by two more shows.
