Tingle: Casino And Pokie Palace Attacks Continue Down Under
Season's Beatings punters, journalists, crime fighters... one and all. The Australian gambling crime crime wave continues. Traditionally it was casinos and bookies getting "knocked over", but now many a crime happens in the form on an attack outside a casino, pub or club, and violent hotel robberies are also on the rise. "White collar" type casino and gambling crime is also on the raise with fraud, working the books and so on, and fake casino chips are also starting to show up on the scene again. Media Man http://www.mediamanint.com and Gambling911 with the hard hitting news from the land down under...
Brisbane, QLD - Treasury Casino Pest Attacks 72 Year Old Woman Gambler...
A nice old lady has been knocked to the ground in a violent bag snatching outside the Treasury Casino in Brisbane. Police said the 72-year-old had been approached several times inside the casino by a man who asked how much money she had won from the poker machines! When she walked out about 2.45am, he followed and knocked her to the ground before taking off with her handbag. She was taken to the well equipped Royal Brisbane and Women's Hospital just as a precaution but is not believed to be seriously hurt. Detectives from the City Criminal Investigation Branch will examine CCTV footage from the casino in the hope of identifying the offender. It is unknown how much money the woman lost in the attack, but its believed to be more than just a couple of dollars.
Brisbane, QLD: Treasury Casino Pest Returns To Scene Of Crime; Gambles, Loses; Nabbed By Police And Charged By Strong Arm Of The Law...
A mongrel bag snatcher who targeted a friendly 72-year-old woman outside the Treasury Casino Wednesday morning has been nabbed and arrested after he returned to the venue Wednesday night. Police said security guards at the casino recognised the man from CCTV footage when he turned up to gamble at about 10.30pm. He was taken into custody by Brisbane City detectives and charged with robbery offences. He is alleged to have followed the elderly woman out of the casino just after 2.30am Wednesday after repeatedly asking her how much she had won on the poker machines. Once outside, the woman was knocked to the ground and her bag stolen. She was taken to the Royal Brisbane and Women's Hospital as a precaution but was not seriously hurt, thank God. We wish her well, and can't help wondering if you've heard about having a punt online.
South Australia: Hotels Encouraged To Man Up Security...
SA Police are urging hotels to beef up security to combat a spike in armed robberies, including an attack on a Darlington hotel. A 23-year-old mongrel, of no fixed address, allegedly robbed the Flagstaff Hotel at Darlington armed with a knife on Sunday, 14th November, at 4am. Hotelier Peter Hurley, who owns the Marion and Tonsley hotels, was very concerned about the rise of armed robberies in the past 5 months. "It’s the trauma it causes for the staff. It can be a very traumatic event when threatened in that way, and it’s got the potential for staff to become spooked. We haven’t had an armed holdup for quite some time but we’re always fearful of it." He said security at his venues had been beefed up. Closed circuit TV had been set up in bars and pokies rooms, and managers had reduced the amount of cash held on site. Detective Superintendent Tony Rankine said armed bandits had hit 25 licensed premises across Adelaide in the past five months, compared with 26 robberies for the previous financial year! He said hotels were increasingly being hit as they were seen to be "softer targets" than banks. "We’re working with (the) industry to have them take measures that harden their premises and make them less vulnerable," he said. He said hotels should examine their cash handling procedures, install time delay locks and widen CCTV coverage. "Everyone has a responsibility ... and should take appropriate and suitable measures to make themselves less attractive or vulnerable to these sorts of crimes." Sturt Superintendent Tom Rieniets said about 40 local hotels last month attended safety sessions run by Sturt Police. He said future safety sessions had not been planned but police crime prevention and victim support services were always available to hotel owners, staff and patrons.
Melbourne: Armed Robbery At Hotel - Taylors Lakes...
Police are investigating an armed robbery at the Taylors Lakes Hotel on Melton Highway, Taylors Lakes. Three men entered the hotel about 1.30am this morning, one armed with a knife the other two with firearms and ordered around 20 patrons to the ground in the gaming room. The bandits gained access to the cash office, fleeing with a quantity of cash. There were no shots fired and no injuries during the robbery. The three male offenders are described as being between the ages of 20 to 30-years-old, wearing dark clothing and balaclavas. Police are continuing to speak to witnesses at the Hotel. Anyone with any information is asked to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or the website at www.crimestoppers.com.au Public thank you to Belinda Batty, Police Media Officer: VP7487 /2010
Tabcorp Casino Chips Seized In Drug Investigation...
Counterfeit casino chips are still extremely popular with crims down under, and northern Australia cities appear to have developed networks thick into the action. Roughly 60 thousand dollars worth of cash and casino chips have been seized by law enforcement in a large Sunshine Coast drug trafficking investigation. Coppers have arrested at least 10 people on as many as 30 charges in the joint Criminal Investigation Branch and Tactical Crime Squad operation. There has been $26,000 in cash and $36,000 in casino chips seized from a Warana premises. The casino chips range in value from $100 to $1000 and belong to Tabcorp's Conrad Jupiters and Star City casinos. Yesterday police and the "dog squad" raided a Kunda Park wheel and tyre business this morning over allegations of drug trafficking. A man in his 30s was assisting police with their search at the business. Detectives and the dog squad were at the scene which is the centre of a lengthy drug trafficking and supply investigation. A residence in Buderim was also searched. Neighbouring businesses shared differing opinions about the Kunda Park raid, but all described the man at the centre of the raid as a "very likable person."
Northern Queensland Pokie Bandit Fights By Police Dog, Dog - 1; Bandit - Nil...
An alleged bandit was tasered and two others fled from police after they were caught trying to crack open poker machines at a tavern in Queensland's southeast. The three men, armed with heavy tools, broke into the Highfields Tavern, in Toowoomba's north, just after midnight on Monday, police said. They gained entry to the tavern's gaming room and began to hack into poker machines, Sergeant Jamie Deacon told the press. "They damaged six poker machines with a sledge hammer and/or crowbar," he said. "They removed cash boxes from each machine." The gang set off the alarm during the raid and police, including the dog squad, arrived a short time later. Two of the men fled. The third, armed with a screwdriver, approached a police dog and his handler in a threatening manner. When the man failed to follow police instructions the dog was released, police said in a statement. The man suffered minor injuries to his right thigh. Police will allege the man continued to struggle with the dog and in fear of the dog's safety his handler fired a taser at the man. The man dropped the weapon and grabbed at the snout of the dog before being taken into custody. The 33-year-old, from the nearby town of Drayton, was arrested and charged with possession of implements, assaulting police, and break-and-enter. He is due to appear in the Toowoomba Magistrate's Court on Monday. Police investigations are continuing and officers are examining possible links to other offences in the area. "He's a well-known Toowoomba person," Sgt Deacon said. The other two men remain on the run. Crime does not pay.
How did you find the crime themed report today? Maybe you're looking forward to Network Nine's return of 'Underbelly' early into the new year? Season's Beatings - just kidding. Offer your opinion in the Gambling911 forum.
If you have a bet, bet with your head, not over it, and for God's sake, have fun.
*Greg Tingle is a Special Contributor to the Gambling911 website and proprietor of Media Man International http://www.mediamanint.com
*Media Man http://www.mediamanint.com is primarily a media, publicity and internet portal development company.
