Pensioner Threatened to Burn Cashier in Casino Robbery

A casino cashier in Sioux Falls, Dakota had a lucky escape on New Year’s Eve when a 70-year old robber poured gasoline over her and threatened to light her on fire while demanding money.

The clerk at Deuces Casino on 800 East Eighth Street complied and escaped from the harrowing incident unharmed, but the alleged robber, 70-year-old Larry Lee Fletcher of Sioux Falls, was arrested later the same morning at a nearby hotel.

Police reported that Fletcher walked into the casino at around 8am on New Year’s Eve morning and threw a cup of gasoline on the clerk. She then handed Fletcher cash from the register after he threatened to set her alight.

Fletcher was later identified using CCTV, and was arrested wearing the same shoes and in possession of the coat he wore during the robbery. He has been charged with first-degree robbery and aggravated assault.

Last year, 2019, saw numerous robberies at casinos throughout the USA, poker players the victims in several of them.

Cleveland pro Joe 'JoeySal' Salvaggio had his WSOP Main Event buy-in robbed in the car park of the Rio in Vegas. Salvaggio tweeted his ordeal, revealing:

‘Guy jumped out of car in camouflage, shoved a gun in my face and demanded my backpack with thousands in it and the keys to my car. scariest moment of my life.’

One month later, a gunman was shot dead by police following two failed robbery attempts, targeting the Aquarius Casino Resort and the Golden Nugget casino in Laughlin, a small town on the Colorado River noted for its gaming and watersports.

Back in March, 49-year old Michael Charles Cohen was unmasked as the Bellagio robber after a second attempt to steal from the casino’s poker cage cost him his life.

The dramatic and deadly escape attempt was caught on camera, four Metro PD officers springing into action as word came through on their headsets. One officer was struck twice but survived, although Cohen died from gunshots wounds later in hospital.