Thieves at Dad Vail steal laptops, wallets from University of Pittsburgh team vans
"It was really unfortunate. We lost a lot," one rower said.
Rowers from the University of Pittsburgh did their best Friday to focus on competing in the Dad Vail Regatta after two of their team vans were broken into on Thursday evening, resulting in the theft of laptops, wallets and uniforms.
Senior rower Andrew Dawson, a graduate of Devon Prep, said the men's and women's teams were out rowing on the Schuylkill River course and setting up their boats along the river's edge before returning around 6 p.m. to their vans, parked near the Girard Avenue bridge.
"We got there and we saw that the side windows had been smashed," Dawson said. "It was really unfortunate. We lost a lot. It definitely was unfortunate but we're rowers. We've definitely faced adversity before. We put it behind us and focused on the next day."
Dawson said the women's rowing team uniforms were taken in the robbery but Boathouse Sports, a vendor along the course, outfitted the rowers with new uniforms for their races.
He said Pittsburgh alumni from the area, not just those affiliated with the rowing teams, had extended offers of help.
"It's great to see all the support," Dawson said. "Our families, the Pitt crew alumni and even the university alumni reached out to us and asked us if they could do anything. It really shows character on the university's part, not just Pitt crew as a family but the entire university as a whole."
Dawson said that while everyone associated with the team was upset by the incidents, they all decided to move on as best they could.
"We have to focus on the job we have to do," he said. "We've been training for this race all year, so we have to put it behind us and keep moving forward. It's definitely more motivation for us."