Theft of equipment in England during transport to Kansas City

A security lapse led to the theft of several items belonging to England's World Cup squad as they moved from their pre-season base in Florida to their training camp in Kansas City, the Guardian reports. Among the items reportedly stolen are match bots for several of the team's stars, as well as tournament balls and training equipment. This poses a logistical challenge for the team, which is scheduled to practice Saturday at Swope Soccer Village in Missouri.


Police in Kansas City, Missouri, told Sky News' Rob Harris that they are investigating the case: "We are investigating a possible theft of equipment from a team vehicle that arrived in Kansas City this evening with items missing. The investigation is ongoing." Minutes later, police said: "[Two persons of interest have been taken into custody pending further investigation.]"

England previously had a smooth run to the World Cup, with a 1-0 win over New Zealand and a 3-0 win over Costa Rica in friendlies in Florida. The Three Lions are scheduled to start their World Cup campaign against Croatia in Dallas on Wednesday. With odds of +700 they are among the favorites to win the tournament.