Motorcycle Bandit Robs Bellagio Casino
Dec. 14, 2010— -- For the second time in less than a week, an armed motorcyclist made off with thousands of dollars in casino chips, this time from one of the glitziest resorts on the Las Vegas strip.
The latest robbery occurred at the Bellagio Casino early this morning when a gunman walked up to a craps table, pulled out a handgun and confiscated $1.5 million in chips. The entire job took less than three minutes, police say.
"It happened about as quick as you can do it," police spokesman Lt. Clint Nichols said.
Surveillance photos show the white, male suspect dressed entirely in black and wearing a full-face white motorcycle helmet. He parked his black sport bike in the casino's north valet and in position for a quick getaway.
Investigators told the Las Vegas Sun there were at least 15 casino patrons who may have witnessed the robbery before the man sped off.
In order for the robber to profit from his theft, he will have to eventually cash the chips in at the Bellagio.
On Dec. 9, an armed man wearing a helmet robbed a poker room cashier at the Las Vegas Suncoast Casino, netting almost $20,000 in chips. The suspect also fled on a black sport motorcycle, leading police to believe the two incidents are linked.
Today's heist is the tenth at a Las Vegas casino this year, police told the Las Vegas Sun. Last year the city experienced nine casino robberies.
Robbing the Bellagio was the plot of the popular movie "Ocean's 11," starring George Clooney and Brad Pitt.
The Associated Press contributed to this report
