A Flock of Seagulls’ van found; $70,000 in gear missing
It turns out whoever made off with a van filled with equipment belonging to 1980s band A Flock of Seagulls didn’t go so far away after all.
Just days after security cameras at a Downey Comfort Inn showed a male suspect stealing the band’s equipment van, police found the vehicle in nearby Santa Fe Springs, NBC reported.
The band had performed over the weekend and left the van -- a white 1999 Ford E-350 -- parked at the Comfort Inn. The group’s best-known hit is “I Ran (So Far Away).”
Surveillance video broadcast on KTLA-TV shows a dark SUV pulling up behind the van and a man exiting the driver’s side, breaking into the van and driving off with it.
The SUV then follows the van out of the parking lot. Police say up to $70,000 worth of equipment was inside the van.
Police found the parked van Tuesday night near Los Nietos Park. No equipment was inside, NBC reported.
Frontman Mike Score told KTLA there were instruments and hard drives to a new solo album inside.
“Joe’s guitar was hand-built. I use a couple of Fenders that are customized,” Score told the TV station.
The band is in town performing at local venues and had to make-do with rented equipment for its performance Sunday night, Times music blog Pop & Hiss reported.
“When they steal stuff like that,” Score said, “they steal from people that pay to see the shows because the band is unable to play the songs as people want to hear them.”
Anyone with information is asked to call Downey police at (562) 861-0771.
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