'Maybe they need it more than the community': Foosball table stolen from Bridgeland square

A foosball table has been set up outside Roma's Pizzeria in Bridgeland to be used by the community.

Calgary — The owner of a Bridgeland pizza shop says he feels sorry for whoever stole a foosball table that has been set up in a public square for the last few months.

Roma's Pizzeria owner Ahmad Abdulghani set the table up in July in the 900 block of First Avenue N.E. as a way of providing some entertainment during the pandemic, which he says has become popular among locals.

People were playing it when he left work about 10 p.m. on Sunday, but when he arrived about 9 a.m. on Monday, it was gone.

"I feel sorry for them," said Abdulghani. "Maybe they need it more than the community, I guess."

Abdulghani bought the table off Kijiji and says he plans on replacing it as soon as possible.

"The people enjoy it so much," he said. "It's so fun."

He figures it would have taken "two or three people" and possibly a vehicle to cart away.

"It was a heavy-duty one," said Abdulghani.

Unfortunately there are no CCTV cameras covering the area, something Abdulghani says he plans on changing in the near future.

"What hurts me more than anything else is the students come here for lunch and they ask me, 'what happened to the table?'" he said.

"Now I'm going to lock it in, I think. I'm going to put a camera on my shop."

Anyone with information is asked to call Calgary police at 403-266-1234.