Conan O'Brien says his late night set was robbed: 'What kind of new low is that for us?'

A burglar broke into the Los Angeles theater housing the late night show "Conan" and stole equipment from the crew, host Conan O'Brien said.

The host announced on his Monday show that when and his team returned that morning to Largo at the Coronet, the music venue they've been taping at since July, they discovered a person stolen "a couple of laptops," which the crew uses to conduct virtual interviews via Zoom, plus a production slate, used on camera at the beginning of a shot to sync audio and video during the editing process.

"We got robbed, Andy. Robbed!" O'Brien said to his announcer, Andy Richter. "Whoever broke in here had to stare what I think is about 350 cardboard cutouts of exuberant fans in the eyes and say 'hey, don't mind me, I'm going to steal some (expletive).'"

"Conan" has been taping at the live music venue on La Cienega Boulevard in Los Angeles, while interviewing guests virtually. Like other programs usually taped in front of a live audience, the show substituted cardboard cutouts for real-life fans to follow coronavirus safety protocols.

Los Angeles Police Department did not immediately return USA TODAY's request for comment.

"Look at us. What happened to us?" O'Brien added. "This kind of (expletive) isn't happening to other shows. No one breaks in to 'The Tonight Show' and steals all the equipment... We've become this garage band that drives around, we've got our van, parked it in an alley and someone broke in and took our amps. ... What kind of new low is that for us?"

But O'Brien took the incident in stride, joking with Richter and longtime field producer Jason Chillemi about why a burglar would take a cheap wooden slate from the set.

"He was probably like 'and... that's a robbery!' Clack," O'Brien joked, miming the sound the board makes.

"Just for the laugh alone, maybe it's worth it," he added.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Conan O'Brien says late night show set was robbed