“An isolated incident”
Two men have been arrested in the January 16 theft of HK$48 million (US$6.12 million) in casino chips from Wynn Macau.
A croupier with the surname of Lee who worked at the property reportedly walked off with the chips at about 7 a.m., when the VIP room where he worked was clear of customers. One other dealer was present.
“He shouted at his female colleague, ordering her to stay quiet and lie on the gaming table. Then he returned to his assigned gaming table and took out HK$47,895,000 worth of chips,” a police spokeswoman said.
Lee then reportedly stashed the chips in a bag and fled on a motorcycle. He later rendezvoused with a security guard, reportedly his uncle with the surname of Ho, at a park in Taipa with the chips, the spokeswoman added. Lee admitted guilt but refused to reveal the stolen chips’ whereabouts, while Ho denied committing any crime.
Andrew Scott, CEO of Macau-based Inside Asian Gaming told Agence France Presse, “All the properties in Macau are thinking ‘could this happen to us?’ and they will be reviewing their procedures.” He added, “It’s like a bank robbery—it’s not an everyday event.”
According to Macau Business, the Judiciary Police also arrested three local residents for posting and sharing a photo on social media showing confidential information about the suspects. “That document was sent exclusively to the security department in charge of overseeing casino incidents and was not for public access,” the police said. The arrestees could face a two-year prison sentence and/or fines, according to the MSAR Criminal Code.
Paulo Martins Chan, head of Macau’s gaming regulator, said he believes the crime was “an isolated incident. The police authorities were able to crack the case quickly. We think that this is not going to have a significant impact on the image of Macau.”
Meanwhile, the acting director of the Judiciary Police, Sit Chong Meng, said the stolen chips “were registered and uniquely coded, and currently cannot be cashed.”
