A Flock Of Seagulls' Van, Musical Equipment Taken In Downey
LOS ANGELES (CBSLA.com) — A van filled with musical equipment belonging to the '80s rock band A Flock of Seagulls was stolen at a hotel in Downey early Sunday morning.
The band—best known for the 1982 hit "I Ran (So Far Away)"— parked their vehicle in the parking lot of Comfort Inn around 1:45 a.m. after they got back from a show in Bellflower.
When they woke up that morning, the vehicle was gone.
The hotel's security cameras showed a suspect break into the 1999 Ford E-350 van with Florida license plates, get inside and then drive away around 2:15 a.m.
"It's scary how quick it is. We're talking about 30 seconds to actually get in and drive off," said guitarist Joe Rodriguez.
Inside the vehicle was the band's entire sound system and instruments, valued at almost $70,000, as well as two computer hard drives with all the music from lead singer Mike Score's upcoming solo album.
"It's 18 months work. My first-ever solo project...it may be just thrown in the bin by somebody," said Score.
After the theft, the band played a concert in Woodland Hills—with rented instruments.
"We did what we could with what we were given and luckily, the crowd enjoyed it. But we didn't enjoy it because I'm playing my keyboard and going, 'Where are my sounds?'" he said.
Score said he's hopeful he'll get his van back, but at the very least, he hopes his two hard drives will soon be in his possession.
"If those guys who stole our van are out there, give us our stuff back and let us go on and be a band," he said.
