When we think of a casino heist, the first thing that comes to mind is a handsome George Clooney and his clan of intelligent bandits. But a recent heist in Atlantic City, New Jersey was a little disappointing — Clooney and crew didn’t make an appearance.
However, the two masked thieves that robbed Caesars Atlantic City at gunpoint did get away with $180,000 early Monday morning. It may have been a lot less glamorous of a scene than in the popular flick Ocean’s Eleven, but the heist still ended with a bunch of cash.
According to USA Today, New Jersey State Police began their manhunt for the two casino bandits on Tuesday. Local reports say the thieves entered the casino around 6 a.m. and at least one of the suspects pulled out a gun before stealing two boxes containing more than $180K in cash, fleeing in a car.
Although casinos are known to be guarded with some of the best security features, heists are not as uncommon as you may think.
Back in 2012, there was David Hayes, an Ohio man who was robbed of $35,800 in casino winnings. Things took a turn for the worse a year later, when Hayes was actually charged with stealing from the jewelry store he worked at to fund his gambling habits.
There was also the bold Anthony Carleo, who entered the Bellagio in Las Vegas back in 2010 armed with a gun and wearing a white motorcycle helmet. Carleo pointed the gun at the craps table, then stuffed a pile of casino chips into a fanny pack. He fled on a motorcycle, but was found a couple of months later and sent to prison.
As if Atlantic City wasn’t struggling enough from an 8-year drought in casino revenues, this heist just added another nail to the coffin. In fact, two of the city’s oldest casinos, the Showboat and the Trump, are planning to call it quits in the fall.
SOURCE: USA Today | PHOTO CREDIT: Getty
