Bay City Rollers tour van stolen in Walsall as band breaks out 'emergency tartan'

One of the biggest bands of the 70s had their van and all their kit stolen during a stopover in Walsall. The Bay City Rollers shared a video from the town after their Splitter van was snatched ahead of a gig almost 200 miles away.

It contained their instruments, including guitars and a keyboard, and left them with a crisis ahead of tonight's gig almost 200 miles away in East Sussex. The theft was said to have beeen reported to West Midlands Police while the band used its social media to appeal for information on their van, which has the registration number BX62 DMU.

In a Facebook video, they remained upbeat and reassured fans the "show must go on" as they shared news of the crime. The band joked they still had "emergency" tartan in spite of "all the gear" being taken.

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They said: "We're sitting here trying to work out how to get to the lovely venue that is Trading Boundaries in East Sussex but our van's just been stolen with all the gear in it; the guitars, the keyboard, the bass, all tartan, all our tartan.

"We've always got tartan on us haven't we? Emergency tartan. Just we've got no gear as yet." The manager of the venue down in Sussex was due to hire some instruments for the band.

The band added: "Now we're trying to work out how to get to - where are we - Walsall - to Sussex. So we're currently doing that right now. One way or another we will be there to play. It's rock and roll and the show must go on.

"You beautiful people who are coming, bear with us, maybe sing a bit louder, it is Friday the 13th - what are the chances eh? Sing a bit louder to cheer us up." Singer-songwriter John McLaughlin later posted a video from a train to Euston as the band travelled to East Sussex ahead of the gig.