$6million Chip Theft at Wynn Macau Casino

The Wynn Macau casino was stung for just over $6million in chips this week after a theft described as an ‘inside job’, with police arresting one of the casino’s own croupiers and a security guard – the whereabouts of the $6.1million in chips thus far still unknown.

Details of the brazen heist which occurred on Tuesday morning were initially thin on the ground, press reports stating that “the suspect allegedly stuffed [the chips] into a bag in a VIP room and simply carried them out," but more details have emerged in the days following.

The arrests on Thursday shed more light on the incident, police claiming that the two men arrested were related to each other – the croupier a 47-year old with large gambling debts and the security guard his 70-year old uncle, both men Macau residents.

The robbery allegedly occurred at 7am in one of the VIP rooms which Macau is famous for, with no gamblers present and only one other dealer in the room

A police spokesperson said on Friday that:

"(Mr. Lee, the arrested croupier) 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".

After stuffing the casino chips into a bag, Lee drove off on a motorcycle and allegedly later his security guard Uncle, surnamed Ho, ‘at a park in neighbouring Taipa with the chips’.

According to police Lee admitted his guilt but ‘refused to reveal the stolen chips' whereabouts’, whereas his uncle has denied committing any crime.

Unlike some of the recent robberies in Las Vegas, local Macau police have confirmed that the theft did not involve any use of weapons, releasing the following statement:

"A gaming parlour worker took away the chips worth 47.89 million Hong Kong dollars. No weapon or sharp knife was used during the course of the incident, according to the footage we went through. The suspect didn't use any violence or weapon", said Judiciary Police spokesperson, Choi Ian Fai, quoted by TDM News on AsiaGamingBrief.com.

The $6.1million in gaming chips can only be used or exchanged for cash at Wynn resorts but Andrew Scott, CEO of Macau-based Inside Asian Gaming magazine, explained that there were "multiple tactics" available to thieves who want to cash in their ill-gotten chips.

Speaking to AFP, Scott said: "All the properties in Macau are thinking 'could this happen to us?' and they will be reviewing their procedures," adding that he has heard of “at least a dozen” such incidents in his 30 years plus in the industry.

"It's like a bank robbery - it's not an everyday event," Scott said.