Games go on following armed robbery at Ventura Players Casino
The masked robber entered the Ventura Players Casino purposefully, brandishing his weapon — a rifle — and ordering security guards, employees and gamblers down to the ground.
He headed quickly to the cashier’s cage, demanded and took exactly what had brought him to 6580 Auto Center Drive early Friday. But he didn’t leave before his image was captured by dozens of the 168 security cameras located throughout the facility.
None of the roughly 40 people in the card room were injured. The robber took an undisclosed amount of money and ran out the front door.
That’s how the armed robbery went down at 3:40 a.m. Friday, according to Ventura police and Players Casino CEO Bill Kracht.
“We are taking procedures to make sure this never happens again,” Kracht said outside the facility, several hours after the robbery.
Security guards monitor the card room around the clock, and they were exactly where they were supposed to be when the armed man entered and pointed his gun, Kracht said. Security reacted exactly how they were trained, he said.
“I don’t want anybody to endanger their lives,” Kracht said. “If (he) comes in with a gun, let him get what he wants and let police do their job. That’s why we pay the police.”
The incident was over quickly, Kracht said.
If card room patrons were concerned about the robbery, it didn’t show by the late-breakfast hour Friday. The business was humming, with a crowd about the same size as usual for that time of day, said host Rob Mason.
Over the loudspeaker, an announcement signaled the upcoming start to the regular 11 a.m. poker tournament.
In fact, many had not even heard about the armed robbery.
“I’m surprised it happened because they have security,” said Mel Newman, a Ventura resident who visits the card room a few times a week.
The robbery didn’t particularly bother Newman. “It’s really a very nice atmosphere. Everyone’s friendly.”
As he headed in to gamble, his main thought was trying to recoup his losses. “I’ve had a bad week,” he said. “It can’t get any worse.”
The card room’s nearest neighbors are businesses in the Ventura Auto Center. No one interviewed Friday expressed concern about the incident.
“They have a bunch of security guards and cameras all over, and it was way after hours for us,” said Brian Terp, general manager of Bunnin Mazda.
Terp said Kracht has gone out of his way to work with his dealership, whether it be on issues like music or to warn of what might be an especially big crowd on a given day.
Land Rover Jaguar Ventura owner Phil Vass said he’s also had no problems with the facility and was not alarmed to hear of the robbery.
Kracht said the main point is that no one was injured.
“I can always replace money. I can’t replace lives,” he said.
For at least a short while, Kracht said, he plans to add an extra guard to that shift.
Police, meanwhile, continue to investigate.
“We have leads. We have not arrested anyone,” Ventura police Cmdr. Mark Stadler said late Friday.
Anyone with information should call Ventura police at 339-4416.
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