Lugging around more around 255 pounds worth of stolen bowling balls doesn’t seem like the easiest crime to get away with, but that’s just what some mystery thieves allegedly accomplished in Denver, Colo.
According to KDVR, professional bowler Steven Gallegos left the 17 balls worth an estimated $4,500 on his porch (stored in bags) on the night of Feb. 24. He didn’t think they would be a lure for thieves.
“Gallegos said he left the equipment on the porch of his home in Denver’s Baker neighborhood Tuesday night because he needed to move it to another vehicle the next day,” KDVR explained. “He says it’s a heavy lift, and leaving them on his porch was more convenient than hauling them inside.”
Gallegos has been in the sport since 1975, according to the Professional Bowlers Association. He said that each ball in his collection serves a different purpose when he’s playing tournaments.
Bowling World recommends that committed tournament bowlers have at least four balls. It explained that these bowlers “benefit most from a larger arsenal as they’re regularly facing different lane conditions that are often tougher than a typical league shot.”
Building up a collection can take time and money. Balls featured on Bowling.com range from around $45 on sale to more than $260.
“Each one comes out at a different time, obviously, and some of them end up being better than others,” said Gallegos of his collection. He also said that the theft is likely to hold him back in competitions, where his large selection was his “competitive advantage.”
When he woke up on Feb. 25, the balls weren’t on his porch, located in Denver’s Baker neighborhood.
“At first I thought it was a joke,” Gallegos said, according to KDVR. “Who’s going to haul away this many bowling balls, you know, and this much weight? And if they have a small car, they’re not going to fit.”
Still, he went to a tournament Sunday. Using spare balls, he came in ninth.
“I’m just back to being a normal bowler,” Gallegos said of the loss.
He also said that he’s not likely to underestimate what thieves will take in the future. Strange thefts like this one aren’t unheard of – Audacy/KRLD podcast “Something Offbeat” dove in to the psychology of stealing back in 2023, inspired by the report of a 15-foot spoon stolen from an Arizona Dairy Queen.
“I’ve got to just remember that people will take anything in this day and age,” Gallegos said. “So be safe and protect your valuables and put them all away and lock them up if you have to. Don’t get lazy like I did.”
While he does not expect the equipment to be returned, KDVR’s report said Denver police plan to assign an investigator to the case soon. Gallegos also said the asked his neighbors to keep an eye out for the stolen bowling balls.