The Stanford Band’s Tree costume was stolen yesterday at around 3:30 p.m. while the Band was performing in a rally with the UC-Berkeley band at Pier 39 in San Francisco, according to members of the Stanford Band.

The Tree is the Band’s mascot, and if the costume is not found by tomorrow, the Band will need to use an old Tree costume for Saturday’s game against Berkeley.

The costume was left on the Band’s bus while members were eating nearby. The bus was locked, but members think that the bus driver may have unlocked the storage bin where the costume was being stored.

Although Band members said they had no clear leads, they are looking at the UC-Berkeley Rally Committee, Cal’s version of the Axe Committee, as a possible suspect.

“While I was dancing, the Rally Comm members were pulling off my leaves,” said junior William Rothacker, the current Tree. “I got the leaves back, but this shows malice on their part.”

The Band director contacted the Rally Committee, Berkeley administrators and the Cal Band and issued an ultimatum, stating that if Stanford does not have the Tree back by noon today, the Band will file a police report.

The Band’s first guess as to the culprit of the theft was the Cal Band, as they were also at the San Francisco rally.

But “I would never have thought that the Cal band could do this,” Rothacker said. “They are our friends and we never perceived them as a threat.”

Jim Bosch, student director of the Cal Band, said he did not know who might have taken the Tree costume.

“We definitely did not take it,” said Bosch, who also added, “I hope whoever did it will give it back so there’s not a huge fuss.”

Typically, guards flank the Tree to ensure his safety, but due to amicable relations with the UC-Berkeley Band, such measures were not taken.

Even if the Band is able to retrieve the Tree costume before the Big Game, it will not be used in the Game, as it has already been tainted by Cal, according to a Band representative. Instead, Trees from past years will be getting together tonight at the Band Shak after the Gaieties rally to make a new Tree. If the Tree is retrieved before the Game, it will be crucified during the Game and will “die a fiery death,” according to Rothacker.

The last time the Tree was stolen was 1998. The perpetrators called themselves the “Phoenix Five.”

Threats of legal action against the thieves were made and the tree was eventually returned. The Band made another costume and destroyed the old one in a wood-chipper at Big Game.

Rothacker made the following statement: “To whomever stole the costume, you are mistaken to think that this act of stupidity would do anything but incite more Stanford spirit.”

He added, “Right now, I just feel sorry for you guys . . . more than ever before.”