$1.5 million robbery at Bellagio Las Vegas

[Smooth Groove]

Sounds like something out of a movie.  I wonder how he's gonna cash the chips.


http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1338666/Bellagio-robbery-Lone-Vegas-gunman-escapes-1-5m-daring-raid-casino.html?ito=feeds-newsxml

The man parked his motorcycle outside the valet and walked to a craps table at about 3.50am on Monday morning, Lieutenant Clint Nichols said.

The gunman wore a full-face helmet and escaped on his motorcycle parked outside in the robbery that took just seconds

He pulled a gun on the croupier, demanded the chips and fled the casino - the same casino which featured so heavily in the Hollywood heist film Ocean's Eleven.

The man was wearing a black jumpsuit, full-face red helmet with white stripes and escaped on a black sport-style motorcycle.


The whole episode took less than three minutes. Police commented that the robbery was 'about as quick as you can do it'.

It was that simple - perhaps too simple.

Police would not reveal today if the chips contained any tracking devices or security apparatus.
Armed robber escaped with $1.5million in chips from Bellagio casino last night

Possible link: Police believe the gunman also robbed Suncoast casino last week making off with $20,000 worth of chips

And it was still not clear why security did not apprehend the man immediately - though there was speculation guards feared to trigger a confrontation with an armed and desperate man in the middle of the casino.

As it all happened so fast, they may simply not have had time.

Authorities said Bellagio security were on the situation relatively quickly with a staff member calling 911 before the assailant had even left the casino floor.

Gordon Absher, spokesman for Bellagio owner MGM Resorts International, declined to discuss the robbery - but he noted that casino chips are not the same as cash.

'At some point they have to be redeemed', Mr Absher said.
Bellagio casino robbed of $1.5million in gambling chips

Targeted: The Bellagio Hotel and Casino is one of the most popular spots on the Vegas strip

Chips are usually unique to casino properties and are not interchangeable.

Mr Absher would not say if MGM Resorts properties are among Las Vegas casinos that embed radio frequency devices in its chips.

The chips taken from the Bellagio robbery ranged in value from $100 to $25,000. Authorities plan to watch for anyone trying to cash high-value Bellagio chips.

[Joe Molotov]

Wanted for questioning:

[ManaByte]

[youtube=560,345][/youtube]