FIFA WC: Two charged in England equipment theft case as most stolen gear recovered

England's FIFA World Cup preparations received a large boost aft 2 men were charged implicit the theft of instrumentality belonging to the Three Lions, with authorities recovering astir of the missing items up of the team's run successful the United States.Prosecutors successful Jackson County, Missouri, charged Mustafa Salik and Erfan Kamal, some from San Antonio, Texas, with 1 felony number each of receiving stolen property. The people D felony carries a maximum condemnation of 7 years successful prison, portion enslaved for some men was acceptable astatine $75,000.The theft occurred portion England's instrumentality was being transported from the team's pre-training basal successful Florida to their imperishable World Cup campy successful Kansas City.

Charges filed arsenic probe moves swiftly

Jackson County authoritative Melesa Johnson vowed beardown enactment against crimes targeting FIFA World Cup visitors and participants.“Jackson County volition not tolerate immoderate transgression enactment that targets World Cup visitors, including the planetary teams that person traveled present to compete,” Johnson said.Authorities estimated the worth of the stolen spot astatine astir $18,000. Fortunately for England, nary of the missing items were indispensable to the team's preparations.

As per quality bureau AP report, according to a probable origin statement, investigators recovered a scope of items from the suspects, including 9 pairs of shot boots, goalkeeper gloves, a World Cup ball, respective sets of shirts and shorts, physics devices, stuffed animals, signed England jerseys and adjacent a Lego acceptable of Nike Air shoes worthy $99.99.Kansas City politician Quinton Lucas praised the accelerated enactment carried retired by instrumentality enforcement agencies.“I americium grateful for the speedy enactment of the Kansas City Police Department and the prosecutor's bureau successful resolving an probe crossed respective states, helping transgression victims retrieve goods stolen successful transit,” Lucas said.

England settee into Kansas City base

Despite the off-field scare, England's accomplishment successful Kansas City went smoothly.The Three Lions were welcomed astatine their edifice successful Prairie Village by the Kansas City Chiefs' drum corps, cheerleaders and mascot earlier heading to an unfastened grooming league astatine Swope Soccer Village.Hundreds of supporters and media members attended the league arsenic England flags flew supra the complex, which featured a motion proclaiming it arsenic “The Home of England.”Although England volition play their group-stage matches successful Dallas, Boston and New Jersey, they opted to basal themselves successful Kansas City due to the fact that of its cardinal location.Thomas Tuchel's broadside statesman their World Cup run against Croatia connected Wednesday and tin present absorption afloat connected shot aft an embarrassing theft saga ended with a breakthrough for investigators.