Las Vegas Robbery – Famous Las Vegas Robberies
There are plenty of Las Vegas robberies that we can discuss. Places like Sin City always have a higher crime rate because you can find a lot of money, jewellery, and other luxurious items. After all, the actual economic development of the city started with the rise of the crime families and their expensive casinos and other investments. Get familiar with the Las Vegas robbery list of the most famous cases of all time.
Before we elaborate on the subject, we want to give you the chance to see what you can expect from this article. The navigation below will assist you to jump on the paragraph you like to see most. There are plenty of Las Vegas robbery stories to read about, have fun!
Most Famous Las Vegas Robberies
In the following paragraphs, you will have the chance to learn more about some of the most scandalous and famous Las Vegas robbery cases in the city’s history because there are plenty of crimes to tell you about. We decided to split them into different groups to show you the best stories of all. Some are related to lost celebrities, others to ordinary people who desired to make easy money.
To steal from others is among the first sins of men, and it will always be tempting for those without dignity and honour. First, we intend to show you the most famous Las Vegas casino robberies and then proceed with other interesting cases that have been widely discussed over the years.
Las Vegas Casino Robbery List
Las Vegas casinos have always been a dream target for any robber because they store millions of dollars in cash behind their doors. In the history of Las Vegas, there have been plenty of robbery cases, some of which were successful. Here are the greatest Las Vegas robberies.
Stardust Casino Resort – The Stone-Cold Thief
The legendary Stardust Casino Resort, demolished in 2006, was once robbed in 1992. The first Las Vegas robbery suspect was William John Brennan, a cashier at the casino at that time. He was described as a calm mid-aged male who was supposed to be from Pennsylvania.
He walked through the casino’s front door with over $500,000 and disappeared in thin air. He was never found or convicted for this crime up to this date. There was no violence or guns involved. The crime was classified as “unlawful taking of goods or money”.
Circus Circus Casino – Never Trust Anybody
Heather Tallchief was a truck driver at Loomis Armor Inc., which deals with the secure transport of huge sums around the city. In October 1993, she and her partner Roberto Solis drove away from the Circus Circus casino with over $3 million. They were last seen at Denver’s airport before they left the USA.
After ten years, Heather surrendered to the American government to ensure a normal life for her ten-year-old kid. She claimed that Roberto left her with the money the moment when they arrived in Europe. She was sentenced to 5 years in prison, while her partner was never found.
Bellagio Hotel & Casino – Heavily Armed Robbery
This was an armed Las Vegas robbery where three fully-equipped men got over $160,000 from one of the cashier cages in Bellagio, one of the best casino resorts in the US. All this happened in the early morning on June 3rd, 2000. On the way out, they also robbed the small money exchange near the exit of the establishment.
Things didn’t go so well for all of the participants in this Las Vegas robbery. One of them was sentenced to 15 years in prison plus a substantial fine. The second one took his own life in a prison cell three months later. The third one was the actual head of the operation because he had previous experience and a long criminal rap sheet. He got a life sentence – 300-700 years in prison thanks to his previous crimes.
Treasure Island Hotel & Casino – Again and Again
The truth is that 2000 was quite rich in Las Vegas robberies. Treasure Island was robbed once in July and once in October. Then in December, Reginald Johnson decided to try to raid the place again. He entered the site, shot one of the security guards and ran away without any prize in his hands. He and his brother were the leading Las Vegas robbery suspects for the previous two hits earlier that year. This time Reginald was caught and sentenced to 130 years in prison.
Bellagio Hotel & Casino – The Biker Bandit
This robbery in Las Vegas is known as the “Biker Bandit” hit. On December 15th, 2011, the student Tony Carleo decided to attempt to rob one of the most legendary and profitable Las Vegas casinos of all time – Bellagio. At 4 AM, he parked his motorcycle in front of the establishment and rushed inside with his helmet and gloves on.
The high limit Craps table was the only one working at that time. He went to the croupier, pointed a gun at him and took chips with an overall prize of around 25,000 US dollars. Then he ran away in the desert with his motorcycle. Less than two months later, he was caught trying to sell the chips for cash. In August 2011, he was sentenced to 9 years in prison.
These were the most famous Las Vegas casino robberies from the last 30 years. The truth is that nowadays, it is literally impossible to rob a casino in Las Vegas. Simply because establishments like Bellagio nowadays have over 2000 indoor and outdoor cameras, including face recognition software, to encounter criminals the moment when they enter the place. Still, our Las Vegas robbery list is far from finished. In the following paragraphs, you can explore several cases of robberies outside casinos.
Las Vegas Bank & Other Robberies
Wherever there is money, there is always someone willing to try taking it. As you know, or you don’t, robberies of armoured vehicles and other establishments are among the crimes with the highest rate in the USA, alongside minor burglaries and other petty thefts. With the severely upgraded security systems nowadays, we don’t see so many big con jobs like in the 90s and before that. The focus changed. Nowadays, some small items cost more than you can even imagine.
Bank of America – Just Like in The Movies
This is considered the biggest Las Vegas bank robbery because the actual sum taken is a bit more than a million US dollars. To gain access to the place, two men kidnapped the sanitation crew of the bank. Shortly after they went in, they made the guards open the vault so that they could take everything in it. The whole plan was well carried out, but both Las Vegas robbery suspects were detained and sentenced thanks to inside information.
O. J. Simpson Robbery – When Things Go Wrong
If you are a sports fan, you will definitely know who O. J. Simpson is – a legendary football player nicknamed “the Juice”. In 2007, he was detained altogether with several friends of his. They were all part of a four days wedding party in Vegas. When Simpson was told that two sports memorabilia sellers who have several items of his are currently in Las Vegas too, he claimed that these items were stolen from him back in the days and now is the time to retrieve them.
He gathered his friends, went to the hotel room of the abovementioned sellers, broke in and took whatever he felt his. Yes, but this all ended with him being sentenced to 33 years behind bars (eventually, he was released in 2017). All participants were led to justice for several charges: robbery, burglary, and kidnapping.
Yes, some of the cases mentioned in our Las Vegas robbery list are pretty shocking, while others can amuse you too. Let’s leave this subject aside and now turn more attention to one more entertaining side of robberies and their plans.
Las Vegas Robbery Movies
In the table below, you will find out the best Las Vegas casino robbery movies that were made over the years. You definitely know some of them, but still, we bet we might get you surprised with something unfamiliar to you. We like to review gambling shows and movies, so you should check our page if you are into that.
| Movie | Year | Director |
|---|---|---|
| Ocean’s Thirteen | 2007 | Steven Soderbergh |
| Ocean’s Twelve | 2004 | Steven Soderbergh |
| Ocean’s Eleven | 2001 | Steven Soderbergh |
| The Conmen in Vegas | 1999 | Wong Jing |
| Casino | 1995 | Martin Scorsese |
| Casino Raiders | 1989 | Jimmy Heung |
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FAQ
Suppose you forgot something or want to rewind your memory. In that case, you can use any of the frequently asked questions about the most famous Las Vegas robberies and their contemplators situated below. In every answer, you will locate a jump link which will lead you to one more complete explanation.
