Supplier News
Chile – Chile’s casinos targeted in spate of violent robberies
By Phil - 11 August 2016
A group of five masked men have robbed a cash machine from inside the Enjoy Casino in the city of Coquimbo.
It is the latest in a number of similar attacks as criminals have targeted local gaming establishments. ATM raiders used flammable gas to blow up the cash machine before escaping with $60m pesos (US$92,000). The attack occurred at 5.40 am on Monday when at least five unknown men entered the casino in order to carry out the robbery. After carrying out the explosion the thieves managed to escape via the nearest highway and threw spikes behind them onto the road to evade capture.
Four robbers installed the device while another kept lookout. The criminals fled leaving $3m pesos on the floor which they did not have time to pick up.
According to local police, onlookers were kept away by an individual brandishing a gun who kept close to the getaway vehicle while the crime was being carried out. The car was later found abandoned by the side of the road. There were around ten customers inside the casino at the time of the attack. None suffered any injuries and were kept safe by members of the casino security team.
Alejandro Riveros Manager of the casino’s gaming room told local press after the attack that: “We were ten minutes away from closing the machines. Security staff were concerned that the public, was out of danger and no injuries were recorded considering the fact that the subjects were armed. The police were immediately alerted to come to the site.”
It is the latest in a number of similar attacks on local casinos. Last month robbers targeted the Monticello casino – the largest casino in Chile. The attack occurred just after 05.00 am also on a Monday when there were a number of customers still inside the casino. The robbers first tried to take the ATM by attaching it to a vehicle and pulling it out via a steel loop but failed. The thieves then used explosive gas to blow up the device and managed to escape with over $6m pesos (US$9,000).
Later in the same week at 6.00 am on a Saturday six robbers stole money from two ATMs located in a casino in the Chilean city of Talca. Six assailants entered the casino with their faces covered while an armed man intimidated the staff and security while the others used explosive gas to blow up two cash machines. It is unknown how much money the thieves managed to escape with. Five customers were in the casino but none were injured during the attack.
