A ROCK band has been left devastated after £10,000 worth of gig equipment was stolen from their van on Monday night.

Thieves broke into three-piece Steamroller’s white Seat van while it was parked outside one of the band member’s houses in Cutteslowe.

A bright-red Yahama drum kit was taken, along with various other equipment, including Marshall amplifiers and a Peavy speaker system.

The blues rock band are made up of Kidlington singer Robert Wakeley, 70, Cutteslowe bassist Roger Warner, 70, and Wheatley drummer Steve Winstone, 64.

Mr Winstone said: “We left the gear in the van overnight and one of us got a call in the morning saying it had been broken into and when we got there it was empty.

“To buy the stuff new would cost us about £10,000.

“Nothing like this has ever happened to us and the band has been going since 1970. We have no idea – there are just people out there who just do that sort of thing.”

Huge support has been offered across social media, and the band – which has bookings until Christmas – say they will play on.

Fans and friends have taken to Facebook and offered to loan the trio the equipment until they see it returned or can purchase new gear.

The band often do gigs for various charities and have booked one to raise funds for prostate cancer at the end of this month.

Mr Winstone added: “We are quite well known around Oxford and have a lot of friends and others loaning us gear for the time being.

“We have got to think what we are going to do, but we aren’t going to stop. This is our last chance to perform and really enjoy ourselves. If there is anything to come out of this positively then it’s the way people have helped us, it’s been wonderful.”

The break-in occurred outside Mr Warner’s house while he was away in Spain.

Mr Winstone said: “Roger had to go to Spain and he feels it’s his fault, which it definitely isn’t. “It’s nasty, but we will just have to grin and bear it.”

The band’s next gig is at The Evenlode, in Eynsham, next Saturday, June 27, before they perform a gig for prostate cancer in Cassington on Monday, June 29.

Mr Wakeley added: “We will definitely make those dates. It’s not stopping us. It looks like the break-in has been very cleverly done because there is no damage. We have received tremendous support and we are very grateful for that.

“They are not going to take the steam out of the roller.”