Thief jailed for stealing unreleased Beyoncé music from car

A 41-year-old man has been sentenced to two years in prison after breaking into a vehicle and stealing hard drives containing unreleased music by Beyoncé.

Kelvin Evans pleaded guilty in an Atlanta court to charges including entering an automobile and criminal trespass. In addition to the prison sentence, he was also given three years of probation.

The incident took place on 8 July 2025 in Atlanta, Georgia, when Evans reportedly broke into a rented Jeep Wagoneer belonging to members of Beyoncé’s tour team. The theft occurred as the singer’s “Cowboy Carter” tour was about to begin its Atlanta shows.

When the victims returned to the vehicle, they found a smashed rear window and several belongings missing. Among the stolen items were laptops, headphones, luxury goods, and hard drives that investigators believe contained unreleased Beyoncé material. The hard drives have not been recovered.

Court documents and surveillance footage presented by prosecutors showed a red Hyundai linked to Evans arriving at the scene and later at another location where stolen items were seen being handled.

Evans accepted a plea deal ahead of his trial. His lawyer told the court that he hoped for a chance to rebuild his life and earn a living lawfully in the future.

As part of his sentence, Evans has been ordered to stay away from the victims and the parking area where the break-in occurred. He had already been in custody since his arrest in August last year.

The theft happened shortly before Beyoncé began a four-night performance series at Atlanta’s Mercedes-Benz Stadium.