Berlin Poker Robbers Stupid Amateurs

Berlin police are calling the four armed bandits who held up a poker tournament Saturday "Stupid Amateurs".  The crime took place at the Grand Hyatt Hotel while filming the European Poker Tour's Berlin leg.  The thieves - amateurs that they may be - still managed to get off with over 242,000 euro in cash, police said.

While a police spokeswoman said there were no firm leads yet, police union chief Rainer Wendt told NTV television: "As for the perpetrators, one has to say: this was clearly not the work of professionals.

"The way they were armed and behaved, as well as the mountain of evidence they left behind already indicates that the police will quickly identify them," he added.

He said the gang had plumbed "new depths of stupidity to carry out such a raid in front of running surveillance cameras".

Poker player Kevin MacPhee ended up winning the tournament and the million euro prize.  Appearing on CNN Monday night, MacPhee questioned why the tournament was able to resume immediately following the incident.

"I thought it was a bit strange.  They should have given us a day off," said MacPhee.  But he applauded the efforts of security guards, one of whom reportedly managed to grab back a portion of the cash. 

Ace King, Gambling911.com