SLS Becomes Fourth Las Vegas Casino Targeted by Thieves in Past Week

Posted on: January 18, 2018, 04:07h. 

Last updated on: January 18, 2018, 04:07h.

Casino.org Staff Writer Read More
Expertise: Commercial Gaming.

On Monday morning, a man jumped over a counter at the SLS Las Vegas just after 9 am and stole money from the casino resort.

SLS Las Vegas
While no video has been released of the robbery at SLS, other recent suspects have been caught on camera. (LVMPD/Fox 5 Las Vegas)

And while brazen robberies at Las Vegas resorts always make headlines, this one is particularly notable, as it marks the fourth such theft from a casino in the city in the span of a single week.

SLS joined New York New York, Harrah’s, and Ellis Island as venues that had been robbed over the course of a six day period. In two of the cases, the criminals were robbed.

Throw in the armed gunman who made off with cash from the Bellagio poker room in November, and that makes five recent casino thefts in which police are still looking for their suspects.

Low Risks, Big Rewards Make Casinos Tempting Targets

According to retired Las Vegas Police Lieutenant Randy Sutton, who now serves as Crime and Safety Expert for local television station KTNV, the reason for these crimes likely has a lot to do with risk and reward.

“These guys that are going in do not feel there are going to be consequences,” Sutton said. “They don’t feel they are going to face down armed security.”

Combine that with the fact that these resorts handle massive amounts of cash, and it makes them clear targets for criminals.

Police See No Connection Between Robberies

According to the Las Vegas Metro Police Department (LVMPD), it’s unlikely that all of these crimes are connected.

However, detectives are not ruling out the possibility, and are investigating the possibility of any relationship between the various crimes.

Casino patrons at SLS told local NBC affiliate KSNV that they were surprised it was so easy for these types of crimes to happen.

“Nobody should be able to rob a casino,” said Leonard Roberts. “It shouldn’t be possible. They need to do something about their security or something.”

So far, no security footage has been released of the incident at SLS. Police say the suspect they are seeking was wearing a hoodie as he ran through a row of slot machines, then exited the building. No one was hurt during the course of the crime.

In other recent cases, however, those committing the robberies were caught on camera. Last Wednesday, an armed man was seen on surveillance cameras stealing money from the New York New York Hotel and Casino before escaping in a taxi.

On Saturday, what appeared to be a different armed suspect was seen on security cameras as he approached the cashier with a handgun and demanded money from a cage employee.

If there is one positive from these incidents, it is that no one appears to have been hurt in any of the recent crimes. Still, some casino visitors say they’ll be on guard while they’re in the city.

“I think it’s pretty much a lot of that going on our here,” Roberts said. “You have to keep your eyes open.”