Police Searching For Bandits Who Robbed SugarHouse Casino Gamblers Of Winnings
By Al Novack, Oren Liebermann
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) - Anywhere you go in Sugar House Casino, there are cameras watching you. But it is not just security keeping an eye out for winners.
"You sit there at the table, someone might come over and check you out," says Todd Illenberg, who often plays roulette at Sugar House. "They don't lay any bets or anything."
Philadelphia police say no one has been seriously hurt, but there have been at least eleven robberies where at least four casino-goers were targeted, tasered, and robbed over the past week (between September 12th and 19th) as they drove away with their winnings from the SugarHouse Casino.
Detectives say that on four occasions, people were followed as they drove home in the wee hours of the morning. Once at their homes, the masked bandits struck as the victims exited their cars.
The victims were tasered and robbed of their winnings.
There've been no arrests. So far, the bandits have netted a total of over $30,000 from their victims.
In nine of the cases, the victims were Asian. Police say the suspects are two black men.
SugarHouse general manager Wendy Hamilton issued a statement on the robberies:
"SugarHouse is cooperating fully with police as they investigate the alleged profiling of Asian players. Nothing is more important than the safety of our guests. With 500 surveillance cameras, we are providing law enforcement countless photos to help quickly apprehend these thugs."
The robberies have happened all over the city so far: two in the Northeast, three in South Philly, and more in other sections.
