Burglary, vandalism at Legends bar cancels veterans’ benefit

Legends Bar & Grill owner says he is angry burglars were brazen enough to break in on Memorial Day, and force him to cancel a veterans’ benefit.

“Disappointed.  Taken advantage of,” David Ajdini said.  “I feel like, how do I say this, maybe like I let people down. Our veterans down.”

In an effort to give back, Ajdini and his staff planned to both remember service members who have made the ultimate sacrifice, and raise funds for the veterans’ peer support group Dryhootch Madison.

“Vets mean a lot to us here. Vets are our legends,” Ajdini said.

However, overnight, as Legends’ staff took a break from preparing, Madison police say burglars went to work. Responding to a 5:27 a.m. alarm call, officers found a shattered glass door. Thieves had destroyed several gaming machines and made off with an undisclosed amount of cash.

The wires controlling Legends’ point of sale computer system had also been ravaged, leaving store employees unable to conduct business or hold their fundraiser. 

“Everything has been damaged so much that we can’t even open,” Ajdini said.

That means a freezer full of food, including the 200 hotdogs and 200 hamburgers Legends had purchased to feed veterans for free will likely go to waste.  And all the potential donation dollars they were counting on were lost.

“I can’t show them how much I appreciate, today. But I will reschedule. This event will be rescheduled. They’re not going to hold me back from that,” Ajdini said.

Ajdini said he planned on donating about 20 percent of total proceeds to Dryhootch.  He says one of the most touching moments of the day happened when Dryhootch officials offered to send veterans over to assist with the cleanup.

“They were in just as much shock and disappointment as I was, Ajdini said. “For them to offer to come here today, on their special day, of being honored, to help me clean up the mess that was made, that touches my heart.”