£13.5k of England kit stolen during World Cup; two men charged

Two men have been charged in connection with the theft of £13,500 worth of England equipment after a transport vehicle was targeted while moving the squad’s gear from Florida to Kansas City. Prosecutors in Jackson County identified the suspects as Mustafa Salik and Erfan Kamal, drivers for the trucking company responsible for the haul, and charged them with receiving stolen property, a class D felony.

Jackson County prosecutor Melesa Johnson said: "Jackson County will not tolerate any criminal activity that targets World Cup visitors, including the international teams that have travelled here to compete." Court documents set out the full inventory recovered, which listed three signed jerseys valued at $5,000 each, four pairs of boots, five pairs of shoes, a World Cup ball and various pieces of training kit such as goalie gloves and naval‑coloured shirts and shorts.

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