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Roberry Rocks Philadelphia Casino

Posted on November 16th, 2010

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Sad news ended the week for the gaming industry in Philadelphia as three patrons from the SugarHouse Casino got robbed. This incident may unexpected to happen in the gambling facility, as after all, it employs a very strict security protocol: It has security patrols round the clock both inside and outside the casino premises, an outpost of the state police, city officers conducting regular checks and 500 or more surveillance cameras. Despite all these measures, however, two men robbed three women at gunpoint in the casino parking lot. This happened early morning of Friday, November 12, when the women were on their way into the casino. Officials of the casino admitted that there was a security vehicle patrolling nearby where the incident happened.

The robbery is the first incident of its kind reported at SugarHouse’s property on the Delaware River. The gambling facility only opened last September, and nothing of this sort has ever happened in the facility. That is not to say though that the facility has had a spotless record.The SugarHouse though has had its fair share of incidents since its opening. Before the robbery incident last Friday, there have been three other crime reports since the casino’s opening—Two reports involved missing items from cars that have been parked in the facility’s parking lot, and one report of a broken car window.

The three women, ages 29, 30, and 32, had just parked their car into the parking lot when two men approached them. The men demanded money and when one of the women refused to give anything, she was pistol-whipped. The men got $340 and credit cards, and then drove away. The police said that the robbery happened so fast, it only took the men less than a minute to perpetrate the entire crime. Anthony DiLacqua, the head of security of the casino, claimed that as soon as the security officials arrived in the scene, the robbers had already boarded a silver Pontiac and fled. The security cameras actually captured the whole scene, but so far, police has not arrested anyone over the weekend. Di Lacqua, who also used to be a chief inspector with the local police, said, “This was a horrible thing to happen, and we’re very upset. Our goal is to provide the safest environment possible for our guests, much like that’s the goal of the Philadelphia Police Department in the city.”

With the incident, the security team of SugarHouse plans to further increase security in the facility. As it is, the casino’s close to 200,000 patrons every month are already subject to strict security. DiLacqua claimed that aside from the state police and the in-house security force, the 26th Police District of Fishtown also patrols the area. At times, the casino floor is patrolled by gaming officials and state police troopers. Around the clock, there is at least one security vehicle circling the parking lot. DiLacqua stated, “We think the footprint here is fairly well covered. But there’s been crime in Philadelphia before SugarHouse was built, and there’s been crime on Delaware Avenue before SugarHouse was built.”

Another incident also involved another SugarHouse patron and an attempted robbery, but this occurred outside the casino premises. Last October, a 26-year-old man was on his way home after winning close to $2,000 at SugarHouse when he was pistol-whipped near his home in Cinnaminson. Police believe that two men overheard him while he was discussing his winnings and they followed him and then tried to rob him. One of the assailants was wrestled to the ground by the man, while the other tripped.

The construction and eventual opening SugarHouse generated debate and dividing the community between those who favor it and those who don’t. The first legal gambling establishment of Philadelphia was supported by people who believe that it will generate jobs and more business. A good example of which is Darling’s Diner, a restaurant in the casino’s vicinity that has become a 24-hour joint so that it can accommodate the crowd from the casino.

Community groups think that the casino only causes traffic and crime. These recent incidents may only make them feel vindicated.