Casino Worker Steals $20K, Spends it at Casino

Posted on: February 23, 2023, 06:56h. 

Last updated on: February 23, 2023, 09:47h.

Erik Gibbs Read More
Expertise: Asia Pacific Gaming, Gaming Business, Global Gaming.

An employee of a casino in Benidorm, a popular beach town in Alicante, Spain, decided to give herself a few extra cash bonuses without authorization. If there’s a silver lining to her continued theft, it’s that she turned around and gave some of it back by gambling at the unidentified casino’s slots.

The Benidorm coastline at night
The Benidorm, Spain, coastline at night. A worker at a casino in the city stole money before spending some of it on the venue’s gaming machines. (Image: Shutterstock)

Spanish media outlet La Vanguardia reports that agents with the Spanish National Police arrested the 31-year-old employee for allegedly stealing €18,992 (US$20,158) from the gambling hall where she worked. She was apparently either oblivious or indifferent to the multitude of cameras catching everything that was taking place.

The authorities haven’t laid out all of the details about the thefts. They are only confirming that they arrested the suspected crook earlier this month. The unidentified female already made her first appearance in court, where she received bail while she waits for her trial.

Smile For the Camera

The video surveillance system captured her movements – where she went, where she played, and how much she spent. Investigators used this data to confirm their suspicions, aroused by repeated shortages in the daily counts of the casino’s cash registers.

Before her arrest, investigators compiled and analyzed all the information the owner of the establishment sent them. This included the surveillance footage, which was enough to justify the arrest.

They witnessed her spending money on various machines, dropping in much more than could be reasonably inferred from her salary. The investigators are now backtracking her activity to try to ascertain how many times she may have dipped into the company’s wallet.

She now faces charges of grand larceny, which carries a maximum prison sentence of four years. If she has no prior convictions, it’s likely she’ll spend less than a year behind bars. The court date for her case has not yet been put on the schedule.

Benidorm Becomes a Target

Benidorm is typically a peaceful, low-key town popular with tourists in the summer. However, it also has its moments in the crime spotlight.

Earlier this month, a theft with violence and intimidation using a firearm occurred that had agents belonging to the local police force on alert. The thieves hit a casino, then used a stolen vehicle to make their getaway.

Thanks to the statements of the victims and witnesses to the events, the agents identified one of the alleged perpetrators. The unnamed suspect was said to be a foreigner with a long criminal history in the country.

That was enough to put the investigators on the scent. They later surprised the criminals, who were still in the city. When they arrested the pair, the agents found the stolen vehicle, which had had its license plates modified to disguise it, and the gun.

They also found personal effects from an armed robbery that had taken place five hours away in the southern city of Fuengirola. Now, police could charge the alleged crooks with multiple crimes in different jurisdictions.