In today’s technologically advanced era, criminal activities and fraudulent acts are becoming harder to pull off than anticipated. The electronic trail left by transactions and surveillance within casinos combined with heightened security measures like AI and proactive monitoring significantly bolster protection against crime at these venues. Such crime ranges from theft, money laundering to assorted illegal deeds. However, even with cutting-edge technology employed by casinos, there remain some people audacious enough to carry out various illicit activities. An illustrative example comes from a recent case involving a UK student.
According to a report by Birmingham Live, a student, aged 22, hailing from Greenwich, London, has recently been convicted after trying to rob a substantial sum from a casino. Samuel Bob-Emmanuel has confessed to the fraudulent action and was reportedly given a 12-month community order as his sentence by the Birmingham Crown Court. As a result of the attempted theft, the student deprived the Grosvenor Casino of around £24,000 ($29,000), a place where he had been a frequent patron.
Following his conviction, Bob-Emmanuel is now required to carry out 150 hours of unpaid work. The 22-year-old, who pleaded guilty to fraud via false representation, is also obligated to participate in 25 days of rehabilitation. The defence lawyer of Bob-Emmanuel, Mohammed Naser, stated that the defendant chose to put a halt to his university life for a while to “better prepare himself” for his final year. Naser further stated, “His actions were not designed to evade or stall the process. Nor has he attempted to hide or rid of evidence. However, the crude nature of the crime implies it was always bound to catch up with him.”
A Simples Minded Crime
The illegal act Bob-Emmanuel confessed to occurred earlier this year on March 1. At the time, he committed to memory a PIN code used by a supervisor of the Grosvenor Casino’s venue on Hill Street in Birmingham. Bob-Emmanuel, as a frequent gambler, had an active account with the casino. After learning the PIN by heart, he paid another visit to the casino the next day, at a time when the poker room was not under any supervision.
He then tried to shift the considerable amount to his account. Regrettably for Bob-Emmanuel, his plan did not work out, as the TSB Bank had put a halt to the transaction. Upon completion of the transaction, Bob-Emmanuel hurriedly left the casino.
Recorder George Kelly emphasised that despite its lack of sophistication, the crime was swiftly dealt with. However, it is important to note that it did involve a certain level of forethought, he added. It didn’t take long for the Grosvenor Casino staff to notice the missing funds. Once they did, they went through the CCTV recordings, promptly identifying the culprit.
