ABC/KELSEY McNEALTalk about waltzing away with it...
Some enterprising thieves in Minneapolis this weekend broke into a van being used by Dancing with the Stars hoofers and swiped thousands of dollars worth of personal electronics from the likes of former champ Kristi Yamaguchi and pros Mark Ballas and Derek Hough.
The trio had been dining at an Outback Steakhouse Saturday night, when the robbery occurre . They were in town to take part in a charity event raising money to fight cancer.
"I feel so bad," Yamaguchi told local Twin Cities station KSTP-TV. "These guys came in for a good cause to help out and it's not starting out so good."
The van was owned by Hough, who was scheduled to play at the benefit with his band, Almost Amy. Among the personal items pinched were passports, wallets, laptop computers, iPods, cell phones, diaries and photos from the tour.
The former Olympic figure skater and gold medal winner, who was Dancing's 2008 champion with Ballas, lamented the loss.
"It's more emotional because there are so many memories [associated with them]," she told KSTP.
Hough and Almost Amy is offering a $5,000 reward for information leading to the safe return of the goods. The band is soliciting tips via its MySpace page.
Dancing with the Stars' seventh season kicks off Sept. 22 with a three-night live premiere event.