A Macau casino pit boss stands accused of stealing gaming chips from her employer in the Chinese Special Administrative Region (SAR). Surveillance video from a casino in Macau’s ZAPE District reportedly reveals the female supervisor, aged 56, pilfering gaming chips from a roulette table on four separate occasions. The Judiciary Police believe the woman used double-sided adhesive tape to carry out the thefts, allegedly stealing three HK$100K chips on June 1, June 3, and July 21, and obtaining a fourth high-value chip recently over the weekend. The total value of the stolen chips amounts to HK$400K, approximately US$51,400.
Law enforcement officers arrested the woman over the weekend after catching her in possession of an HK$100K chip alongside a sticky substance on her palm. She has been charged with aggravated theft. This arrest is part of Macau’s “Thunderbolt 2024” initiative aimed at cracking down on illegal activities within and around casinos. Police presence has been heightened, particularly in the Cotai and ZAPE districts.
ZAPE, located east of major casinos like Grand Lisboa, Wynn Macau, and MGM Macau, features smaller casino hotels such as the L’Arc. On the contrary, the Cotai District boasts the glittering Cotai Strip, known for its ultra-luxury resort casinos.
This increased law enforcement activity has led to several significant criminal takedowns. Recently, police detained a woman accused of stealing HK$320K (US$41K) from a fellow gambler. Surveillance footage revealed the woman sitting next to a man playing at a table game and later discovered missing his fanny pack containing the chips. The woman was later found exchanging the chips for cash in another casino in the ZAPE District. Upon arrest, only HK$82K was recovered, and she was charged with aggravated theft.
The Thunderbolt 2024 operation also targets illegal gambling operations beyond casinos. Judiciary Police, working with authorities from Hong Kong and Guangdong Province, recently arrested 93 individuals suspected of running an illegal sports betting ring. The operation allegedly facilitated at least MOP1.08 billion (US$134 million) in illegal bets. Among the arrested suspects, 50 reside in Macau, including a Macau customs officer.
