Columbine Steak House and Lounge has been burglarized three times in the last two years. And the only thing the thieves have stolen are steaks.
“No liquor, no beer, no money, just the steaks, and this time, they’ve caused quite a bit of damage,” said co-owner Irene Apergis.
Columbine Steak House, located at 300 Federal Blvd., has been temporarily closed since Saturday, July 20, but Apergis is hoping to reopen this Friday the 26th, depending on how extensive the cleanup needs to be.
Apergis woke up to a phone call around 5 a.m. on Saturday to the news of the burglars’ return. The first time the restaurant was hit in Dec. 2022, the door was broken down, and the steaks out of the refrigerator were gone. The second time, around Memorial Day weekend, the same thing happened again.
“I think it’s the same people,” she said. “We joked that they must have had a big BBQ for Memorial Day.”
So Apergis got smart. She added a liner to the crease of the door, so they couldn’t break in with a crowbar or anything else. But that didn’t deter the thieves.
From what Apergis saw on the security tape, the group used a white truck with a winch on the back to ram into the back of the restaurant. They tore down the back wall of the steakhouse and swiped only steaks from the refrigerator for a third time.
“When they tore the wall, they ran into the dishwasher, and hit all the pipes, so the water was running like crazy,” Apergis said. “They caused a small leak in the gas pipes, so I have Xcel here making sure it’s cleared up.”
Apergis filed a police report, handing over the security tape and the license plate from the truck in the video.
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It’s going to take some time to rebuild the wall, so even if the Denver institution reopens on Friday, it will only be temporary until they figure out whether permits will be necessary or not for the next step. Apergis and her team had already been planning to go on vacation and close down the shop from Aug. 18 to Sep. 6, so they’ll use that time to reconfigure.
“After the third time, we might have to add some cement poles back there,” she said. “I just don’t need my insurance dropping me because of so many claims.”
Apergis’ father, Socrates, opened Columbine Steak House in 1961. The no-frills, cash-only steakhouse has become a longtime favorite for its cheap steak meals and counter-style service.