According to the old saying, “Criminals are a cowardly and superstitious lot”. In many cases, they also aren’t the brightest bulbs on the Christmas tree, either. Although the excitement and action (not to mention the free drinks) at a casino can cloud a visitor’s judgment, some of these criminals obviously didn’t have that much good sense before they walked through the doors.
For instance, a seventy-eight-year-old man shot and wounded five people at a casino in Reno, Nevada. Police caught him as he tried to flee the scene … with his walker. Some observers wondered if the police actually engaged in a foot pursuit, or if the cops decided to try out a high-speed chase with a Segway.
Another criminal mastermind worked as a security guard at a local casino. The Florence, Colorado, man was arrested in connection with the theft of over one hundred thousand dollars (US$) from his employer. What tipped off the police? The man bought a motorcycle for six thousand dollars cash – all of it in twenty-dollar bills. In six months, he spent over thirty-five thousand dollars, although his take-home pay was less than seven thousand.
Some poker players prefer to use their own money to play, while others borrow from or get staked by other players. One player decided to use some creative bank financing to build his bankroll – the kind of “financing” that comes from robbing banks. An FBI agent visited the Commerce Casino near Los Angeles, California, and distributed posters featuring the suspect’s face. He found the robber at one of the tables, lured him into a “private game” and arrested him on the spot.
Gamblers have often used creative means to cover bets that they could not otherwise afford. One player at a Fresno, California, casino decided to bet with a different kind of “green”: marijuana. He dumped the buds, stems and seeds onto the betting circle at a blackjack table. When surveillance staff noticed the unusual bet, they called police.
