The lure of the high-profile casino has always made it a tempting prey for potential criminals with aspirations to make big money from criminal casino activities. The promise of enormous payouts, expensive chips, and rare gems has lured people into pulling off some ingenious heists throughout the years.
Although security measures have gotten extremely advanced, these are the thieves who were bold enough to dare to rob a casino. Here we take a look at some of the most legendary thefts that took place in the walls of casino establishments throughout the world.
The Stardust Job – An Inside Job
One of the most legendary of all casino heists is the Stardust Casino job in Las Vegas back in 1992. This robbery is of particular interest because it was an inside job by the cashier. It was a Monday evening, and the casino was full of gamblers looking to place bets on Monday night football. As the match started, cashier Bill Brennan walked out with cash and chips valued at around half a million dollars and literally disappeared without a trace.
An FBI investigation followed them but ended without any results and Stardust Casino unfortunately closed its doors in 2006. Casinos these days actually offer free chips, but not in the same way as Bill, this is completely legal in the form of no deposit bonuses open to UK players, the promotions are online and allow you to use free money to gamble.
The Circus Circus Motorcycle Bandit
The Circus Circus Casino in Las Vegas was subject to the most cinematic robbery of 1993. Heather Tallchief, who was later identified as the lone motorcyclist, fled with an armoured truck loaded with $2.5 million from a casino. The astounding part about this heist is that Tallchief was actually an employee of the armoured truck company hired to transport cash for the casino. She managed to stay a fugitive for more than 10 years before surrendering in 2005.
Bellagio Heist
One of the most luxurious casinos in Vegas, the Bellagio, faced a daring robbery back in 2010. Taking a motorcycle to the Las Vegas casino, Anthony Carleo entered through an employee exit wearing his helmet before he brandished a gun and then took off with $1.5 million in hand. He remained on the run for well over 3 years and was finally caught while selling high-value chips online.
The Crown Casino Scam
Moving away from the Vegas Strip, in 2013, Australia saw an elaborate scam take place at Crown Casino in Melbourne. A high-stakes gambler, flying in from New Zealand, managed to take $32 million off the casino by taking advantage of the casino surveillance system.
He was assisted by an accomplice in the security room who manipulated camera feeds, allowing the player to cheat. This complex job highlighted how even the most modern security systems can be vulnerable to insider threats.
The Ritz Casino’s Laser Scam
The world-renowned Ritz Casino in London was fleeced of millions in 2004 by a scam that combined technology and traditional sleight-of-hand trickery. Gamblers used a laser scanner hidden in their mobile phones to measure the speed of the roulette wheel and the ball.
A computer was then used to analyse this data and estimate where the ball would land, giving them an unfair advantage. The team collected a total of £1.3 million before being found out but went unpunished because there was no evidence to support their prosecution.
Chip Heist at the Soboba Casino
In 2007, two masked men walked into the Soboba Casino in California and demanded gamblers hand over their winnings at gunpoint. They were able to swipe $1.5 million in chips from a high-stakes poker table before escaping. The dramatic nature of this robbery, happening in full view of visitors and staff, sent shockwaves through the casino industry and prompted a reassessment of on-site security measures.
Inside Job at the Silverstar Casino
Silverstar Casino in South Africa was the site of a well-orchestrated inside job in 2014. A group of employees, including a security guard, worked together to steal more than $1.1 million in cash. Staff used inside knowledge of both the casino’s operations and security protocols, highlighting the vulnerabilities presented by staff’s unmonitored access to sensitive areas and information.
The Paris Casino Heli-Heist
Perhaps the most brazen attempted theft took place in 2010 at Paris’ Aviation Club de France. A lone gunman armed with a pistol entered the casino and robbed $85,000 worth of chips. But what made this heist so memorable was the thief’s escape plan: the thief had arranged for a helicopter to land on the roof of the casino. The pilot, however, refused to take off, and the robber was eventually arrested.
The Rio Casino’s Pepper Spray Caper
A strange and audacious crime was perpetrated against the Rio All-Suite Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas back in 2017. It happened after two masked people walked into the casino in the early hours of the morning and blasted pepper spray to spread disarray on the gaming floor. During the ensuing mayhem, as gamblers and employees ran from the foul-smelling smoke, bandits strode to a poker room cashier cage. The suspects grabbed an unknown amount of cash, then fled.
This case was remarkable not just for its novel methodology but also for its sheer chutzpah in using chaos to facilitate the theft. By using pepper spray as a diversionary tool, this heist underlined the need for casinos to reexamine their emergency response plans and anticipate dangers other than traditional armed robberies.
Closing Down
Casino heists have become the stuff of legend, combining elements such as high stakes, brilliant plots, and thrilling getaways that forever hold a fascination for anyone with even half an ounce of imagination. Those infamous heists have given rise to an arms race in the gambling industry when it comes to security, with casinos and online betting houses constantly having to outwit those who’d try their hand at illegal activities. However, the promise of instant riches guarantees that casinos will always be irresistible for bold thieves.
