Video surveillance catches criminals

Video surveillance catches criminals
Holly Meyer Journal staff Rapid City Journal

Sylvester “Beaver” Pacheco is serving a 45-year sentence at the South Dakota State Penitentiary thanks largely to a video surveillance system at a Rapid City casino.

Not all the surveillance cameras in Rapid City’s video lottery casinos and convenience stores do as good a job as those that captured Pacheco in the act, according to the Rapid City Police Department, which has been working with businesses to improve the quality of their surveillance systems.

“We’ve really struggled in the past when we were still using a VHS, running tapes over and over again,” said Capt. Doug Thrash, who commands the department’s criminal investigations division. “The quality was terrible. It was so bad that it was worthless.”

Effective video surveillance, on the other hand, can often make the difference when prosecuting criminals for robberies and burglaries, he said.

“It may not break the case open, but it sure opens another door,” Thrash said.

In the case of the 38-year-old Pacheco, video played a crucial role in his arrest, conviction and lengthy prison sentence.

In late May, he robbed his first Rapid City casino. The next day, he hit a second one. Clerks described the suspect to police, but the most useful evidence was provided by the video surveillance system at Jokers Casino on Mount Rushmore Road, which is where the second robbery occurred.

Police released the video to the public and within days Pacheco, a convicted felon, was identified and arrested.

In addition to identifying him, police were able to see what Pacheco touched inside the casino, dust that space and find fingerprints, Thrash said. Without the video surveillance, the crime still might be unsolved, he added.

After a surge of crimes at casinos about three years ago, the police department started giving casino and convenience store owners guidelines for digital surveillance systems, Thrash said.

Those guidelines focus on picture quality, how long video is stored, how easily it can be exported from the system for use and whether third parties – investigators, attorneys and courts – can easily view the video.

“There is a lot of improvement," Thrash said. "I think it is something with our culture now, people expect to see the video.”

The police department recommends videos be retained for 31 days and encourages businesses to install systems that automatically transfer the video to an off-site storage or at least hide it on site to prevent tampering, Thrash said.

In the case of Jokers Casino, owner ISIS Hospitality had spent thousands of dollars upgrading surveillance systems at all its establishments in the Black Hills after the same casino was robbed several times, said Caleb Arceneaux, the company’s chief executive officer. The new system improved the image quality and added more cameras.

“It’s getting better every year, every month, every day. We need to keep up with those emerging technologies,” Arceneaux said. “It’s a worthy investment.”

Rapid City-based Golden West Technologies & Internet Solutions works with the police department to help educate customers on what systems and camera placement would effectively solve crimes, according to James Van Loan, a sales manager with the company.

“You just have to start with an evaluation and set your goals and work with organizations that help with more customizable solutions,” Van Loan said.

Cameras can range from about $300 up to $2,000 each depending on the quality and zooming capabilities, Van Loan said.

Business owners may choose a mix of cameras and point the pricier ones at the more potentially volatile locations, such as the cash registers. Instead of buying one expensive camera, business owners also will opt for several low-cost cameras and position them to cover more angles, he said.

The cost can dissuade businesses from investing in a surveillance system, which is why a consultation includes a discussion of low-cost security measures like replacing locks, improving lighting and looking at what behaviors the business owner is trying to prevent, Van Loan said.

Surveillance footage from a January armed robbery proved that businesses are installing better systems that work for law enforcement.

A man walked into the Loaf ’N Jug on West Main Street on Jan. 14 and while making no attempt to conceal his identity brandished a handgun and demanded money.

Five days later, 26-year-old Robert White Janis of Rapid City was arrested by Nebraska authorities and identified as the suspect in the robbery. The store’s surveillance system captured the crime and the suspect’s face in clear, bright video.

“I’ve never seen a video come out that nice,” Thrash said. “That is the home run.”

But even if a suspect covers his face, the video can still be useful.

Last July, video surveillance once again helped police nab a serial business burglar. This time, Jason Edwards’ mannerisms and an attempt to conceal an arm tattoo gave him away. The Rapid City man was in custody about a week after police released a video. Edwards is now serving a 29-year prison sentence.

“That allowed us to move the investigation. We may not have had that as soon or if ever without that break,” Thrash said.



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Casinos responsible for security

Casinos responsible for security

It's unfortunate that neighborhood casinos have been the target of several armed robberies over the past year.

But casino owners shouldn't expect the Rapid City Police Department to serve as their personal armed security team.

The owners of Jokers Casino recently criticized the police department for its weak response to the robberies and suggested they do more to prevent them.

Police Chief Steve Allender said preventing crimes from occurring inside a business is an unrealistic expectation of a police force.

It's also an unrealistic expectation of taxpayers, who foot the bill for that police force.

Casino operators should consider beefing up security with an alarm system, better lighting, video cameras, or hired guards.

The owners of Jokers Casino said they did that and more: lowered the amount of cash on the property and installed a buzzer system to screen people who want to come inside. Then another robbery occurred.

If employees admitted the robber, that's hardly the fault of the police.

Perhaps they should increase screening to include requiring ID and recording who frequents the establishment. Then if a robbery occurred, they'd have the person's identity in hand.

If would-be criminals knew the casinos weren't an easy target, the rash of robberies might ease up.

Where a casino chooses to locate also plays a role in its vulnerability to crime.

They tend to draw people of limited means hoping to strike it rich, and tend to locate where they live — often in areas plagued with higher crime rates.

That's not the fault of police. It's the choice of casino owners who should take responsibility for their own operations.

Police have plenty of work to do without being expected to babysit casinos.

It's certainly their job to respond when a robbery occurs, and make an effort to nab the criminal.

It's not their job to provide the preventive security that casino owners should be covering themselves. If they don't feel safe, they can always spend their own money to change that.

Casino owners criticize police after robbery

Casino owners criticize police after robbery
Holly Meyer Journal staff
Rapid City Journal

Joker's Casino general manager Corey McLaughlin scrolls through surveillance footage of a robber cleaning out the Mount Rushmore Road casino's cash register on Tuesday night.

Jokers Casino at 1320 Mount Rushmore Road was robbed Tuesday night. Police are asking that anyone who can help identify the suspect in this video contact them.

• Robberies in Rapid City, Sioux Falls
  
  2009: 41, 47
  
  2008: 50, 46
  
  2007: 34, 44
  
  2006: 38, 34
  
  2005: 38, 71*
  
  2004: 45, 43
  
  Source: FBI Uniform Crime Reports
  
  *FBI indicated city changed its criteria this year
  

After being robbed three times in the past six months, the owners of Jokers Casino say they are fed up with the Rapid City Police Department’s response to casino robberies.

The company criticized the police department for not taking a proactive approach and only addressing the issue when a robbery occurs, according to Rich Dunkelberger, the chief executive officer of ISIS Hospitality. The Rapid City-based management company owns Jokers Casino.

“Why can’t they prevent the armed robberies in this area of town?” Dunkelberger said. “When they have a priority, they can accomplish it. When they want more DUI arrests, they get them.”

The Mount Rushmore Road casino was most recently robbed at about 10 p.m. Tuesday making it the second casino robbery in two days. Prior to that, Jokers Casino was hit in April and again in November 2010 during a week-long spree of casino robberies.

“It’s frustrating. We don’t live in Watts, L.A., or Harlem, New York; this is Rapid City. It’s crazy,” Dunkelberger said.

After the April robbery, Dunkelberger said he sat down with Police Chief Steve Allender to discuss the issue and requested extra patrols, but the casino owner was dissatisfied with the response he received.

“I don’t think the Rapid City cops are bad. I don’t want to demean them in anyway shape or form,” Dunkelberger said. “But, we need more assistance in this area, and the guy at the top needs to make sure this happens.”

But the guy at the top does not see it that way. In fact, Allender said preventing crimes from occurring inside a business is an unachievable expectation of a police force. Add in the fact that officers typically spend their shifts driving across neighborhoods to address the next issue, preventing a casino robbery is impossible, Allender said.

“We can no more prevent a robbery from occurring at a casino or anywhere else than we can prevent some family member from assaulting another family member behind a closed door,” Allender said. “Every homeowner and every business has some obligation to prevent crime in those areas that the police have no control preventing it.”

Allender said the key to preventing casino robberies is relying on a partnership between the police department and the business owners.

“We can’t purchase the video cameras. We can’t dictate the amount of lighting. We can’t dictate the number of employees or security guards on duty. We can’t choose the perfect locations for casinos,” Allender said. “That is all out of our hands.”

After the April robbery at Jokers Casino, the company did fulfill its end of the partnership by purchasing new video surveillance equipment, lowering the amount of cash on the property and installing a buzzer system allowing clerks to decide whether to let someone inside the casino, according to Dunkelberger.

“We did what (Allender) requested, but that doesn’t deter crimes,” Dunkelberger said.

The suspect in the most recent incident even played video lottery for about an hour, waiting for the other customers to leave, before demanding money from the clerk, Dunkelberger said.

The company will now be hiring an armed, uniformed security to work at the casino during its hours of operation, according to Caleb Arceneaux, director of gaming operations for ISIS Hospitality. They are also planning to increase the wattage of the lighting in the business’ parking lot, Arceneaux said.

“Is it us tomorrow? That needs to go away,” Arceneaux said. “It’s not good for our industry and our business, and it just gives us a black eye.”

Another prominent casino owner in town, M.G. Oil, is frustrated by the reoccurring crime, but does not share ISIS Hospitality’s criticisms of the police department, according to Troy Erickson, vice president of M.G. Oil.

An M.G. Oil casino, Happy Jacks on East St. Patrick Street, was robbed early Monday morning, the day before the Jokers Casino robbery.

“I’m sure they’re kind of slapped in the face seeing it, too. I’m sure they’re doing everything they can to get them.” Erickson said. “We have a pretty good rapport with the local officials. They do everything they can to protect everyone.”

Casino robberies are not unique to Rapid City. Across the state, Sioux Falls Police Department has handled a few since the beginning of the year; one suspect was apprehended at the scene and others remain under investigation, according to Det. Sgt. Matt Burns, of the Sioux Falls Police Department’s property crimes division.

The Sioux Falls police encourage casino owners to install quality surveillance equipment, report suspicious activity and utilize a buzzer system, Burns said.

Officers are expected to stop in at casinos in their district when time allows during the hours robberies typically occur, Burns said.

The sheer number of casinos in every quadrant of Sioux Falls creates certain impediments to being proactive, Burns said.

“Any business that has a significant amount of funds that are a part of their normal business cycle has a certain amount of risk,” Burns said. “It’s no secret that casinos have been and likely will continue to be a target.”

Rapid City Authorities Wrapping Up Casino Crimes

Rapid City Authorities Wrapping Up Casino Crimes

Rapid City, South Dakota has recently been contending with a slew of crimes related to casinos. In six days time, four casinos had been robbed by men with blades, ranging from knives to a sword.

Two men have now been arrested in conjunction with these robberies. Further charges are expected, according to police, and other leads are being investigated.

On Monday the first arrest was made. Daniel Gillen, a 50 year old resident of Rapid City, apprehended. Joshua Bourne, 23, was then arrested on Wednesday in Box Elder, SD.

Bourne and GIllen have both been charged due to the first robbery, the robber of Joker’s Casino on November 14th.

The charges include first degree robbery, as well as two counts of conspiracy to commit robbery in the first degree. Additionally, Bourne was charged with witness tampering.

Gillen has also been charged with charges related to the synthesis of methamphetamine.

According to the Chief of Police, Steve Allender, citizens should not try to be heroic. “These are thugs that need to be stopped. That’s all that matters today. We need citizens to keep their eyes open, to stay calm, and not be a hero. We don’t need anyone hurt trying to apprehend these guys. We’re working around the clock to take calls and act on the leads.”