Football team robbed while on pitch

While the SC Buitenveldertbaan women's team was playing football on the pitch inside, a thief snuck into their Amsterdam clubhouse and stole the lady's belongings. Security cameras inside the bar caught the thief in the act, and the team released the video footage on their Facebook page with an appeal to catch the criminal and get their stuff back.

In less than 24 hours, the team says over 28,000 people have watched the video. Even more have seen replays of the footage on Dutch news broadcasts and websites.

The footage shows a man entering the team's canteen and removing a container from behind the bar. Members of the team say that the container held personal valuables including mobile phones and wallets.

Facebook commenters repeatedly lambasted the team for leaving their belongings unattended in the cafe. However, the team says a volunteer was assigned to watch the items and stepped out of the room for a a few minutes.

"The [team's volunteer] who should have put away the box forgot this for the first time in his life because he was helping another," the team said.

Agreeing that it was a tragic error in judgment, the team says they stand by their assistant. "Stupid action, agreed, but a hard lesson for a very long-standing and trustworthy volunteer of our lovely association."