Denver Pro Bowler Loses $4,500 Worth of Gear in Theft

17 bowling balls weighing 255 pounds stolen from professional's front porch

Published on Mar. 4, 2026

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A Denver professional bowler named Steven Gallegos had 17 of his bowling balls, worth around $4,500, stolen from his front porch last week. Gallegos, a 42-year veteran of the sport, said the loss of his full arsenal of specialized balls will set him back in competitions, as each one serves a different purpose.

Why it matters

The theft highlights the challenges professional athletes can face when it comes to protecting their valuable equipment, especially when it is bulky and inconvenient to move inside. The incident also raises questions about security measures needed to safeguard expensive sports gear, even in one's own neighborhood.

The details

Gallegos, a professional bowler, left 17 of his bowling balls on his front porch, planning to move them to another vehicle the next day. When he woke up, the balls, stored in several bags, were gone. Gallegos said the theft equates to thousands of dollars in losses and will put him at a competitive disadvantage, as each of his specialized balls serves a different purpose during tournament play.

  • The theft occurred last week.
  • On Sunday, Gallegos had to use only a few spare balls during a competition and finished ninth.

The players

Steven Gallegos

A 42-year veteran professional bowler who had 17 of his specialized bowling balls, worth around $4,500, stolen from his front porch.

Denver Police

The police department is investigating the theft and says the case is in their queue to be assigned an investigator soon.

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What they’re saying

“At first I thought it was a joke. 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.”

— Steven Gallegos, Professional Bowler (KDVR)

“Each one comes out at a different time, obviously, and some of them end up being better than others. That's the competitive advantage that I have, but with that being gone now, I'm just back to being a normal bowler.”

— Steven Gallegos, Professional Bowler (KDVR)

What’s next

Denver police say the case is in their queue and will be assigned an investigator soon.

The takeaway

This theft highlights the challenges professional athletes can face in protecting their valuable and specialized equipment, even in their own neighborhoods. It raises questions about the security measures needed to safeguard expensive sports gear and the impact such losses can have on an athlete's competitive edge.