Just days after the Dallas-Fort Worth Curling Club opened the doors to its brand-new Irving facility, burglars broke in, spent hours trashing the place, and walked off with an estimated $20,000 in tools and equipment. Club leaders say the thieves even helped themselves to pizza, beer and hard seltzers from the concession area before leaving.
The break-in happened Sunday, October 25, according to club president Brigitte Minucci. Audacy also reported the theft. Surveillance footage reviewed by Minucci showed a suspect appearing on the club's patio around 6:22 p.m. and getting inside the building by 8 p.m., not long after members had cleared out of the facility just after 6 p.m. that evening, following the club's inaugural Steers and Beers tournament, which had drawn about 120 curlers along with friends and family over the preceding three days, as reported by The Dallas Morning News.
According to the Dallas Morning News account, the footage showed the person entering, changing into merchandise taken from the pro shop, and later putting on a member’s curling uniform, then settling in for hours — possibly even playing a round of air hockey — before returning later with another person. Together, the pair emptied a storage room in about five minutes, making off with power tools, construction equipment, iPads, speakers, athletic gear and a drone. The person spent hours inside, and belongings were scattered throughout the building, the Dallas Morning News reported.
A Volunteer-Built Dream, Trashed Overnight
The timing stings. The club had just opened what it calls Texas' first dedicated curling venue, a project three years in the making that was funded entirely through member contributions with no loans, per the Dallas Morning News. Construction began in April, and volunteers reportedly finished much of the remaining work themselves, using their own tools — many of which were among the items stolen.
Minucci said the theft left the volunteer-run club with an acute shortage of tools and noted that the equipment largely belonged to people who had already donated their time and resources to get the facility built. She also told the Dallas Morning News that the emotional weight of the burglary was palpable among members, and that club insurance may not cover volunteers' personal belongings taken in the break-in. In a statement cited by D Magazine, the club called the loss “a heartbreaking blow to our entire curling family” for a nonprofit already facing significant financial challenges.
Police Collect DNA as Club Tightens Security
A member discovered the burglary Monday morning, and Irving police have since examined the scene and collected potential fingerprints and DNA evidence, according to Minucci's account relayed to Audacy. Security cameras had captured the intruders breaking in, including one wearing merchandise taken from the pro shop, though it remains unclear whether anyone has been identified or arrested.
Minucci also told the Dallas Morning News that a Dallas check-cashing business contacted her after someone tried to cash a check from the club's stolen checkbook, but that person left before police arrived — and the article notes it is unclear whether that attempt was connected to either person seen in the surveillance footage. In response, club members have added security cameras and are working to strengthen the building's overall security.
Upcoming Nationals Loom Despite the Setback
The burglary has disrupted preparations for two major upcoming events at the Irving facility: an Open 5U National Qualifier set to begin November 6, and the USA Curling Arena Club National Championships running November 11 through 15, which will bring fields of 12 men's and 12 women's teams to town, according to USA Curling. Despite the loss, the club intends to host both competitions as planned while it works to replace the stolen gear, and it has a Junior's Program scheduled to begin in December.
CW33 reports that the club was founded in 2002 and offers programs for beginners; The Dallas Morning News reports that it has 175 members and that its programs also serve families, junior curlers and people with disabilities. Minucci herself began curling at age 8 growing up in Canada. The club's new building at 1551 Corporate Drive represents the culmination of years of fundraising, and the sport it houses has been riding a wave of growing interest nationwide — U.S. membership grew 12% the year after the men's team won the country's first Olympic curling gold at the 2018 Pyeongchang Games, surpassing 25,000 members for the first time in 2019, according to World Curling figures. Olympics.com has reported similar growth spurts elsewhere, noting that one Pittsburgh club saw roughly 1,000 newcomers try the sport after the 2018 Games as curling continues building toward what the outlet calls a truly global following.
