Crime At Lumiere Focus Of St. Louis Police
Carol Daniel
ST. LOUIS (KMOX) – As KMOX News reported last month, a couple was robbed at gunpoint early Christmas morning in the parking garage at Lumiere Place Casino and Hotels in downtown St. Louis. A friend of the female victim told KMOX, “The man pointed a gun at her head. It was very frightening.”
That was not the first armed robbery at Lumiere in 2011. KMOX News has now learned that the effort to improve security at Lumiere has been underway for months now.
“Who controls security at the state’s casinos?”
The Missouri Highway Patrol is in charge of security on the casino floor but not the parking garage or lots. Lee Ann McCarthy, spokeswoman for the Missouri Gaming Commission, says the Patrol maintains crime statistics on all casinos and those figures are released as part of the annual reporting by the commission. They are not, however, broken down by casino.
McCarthy says arrest statistics are reported as part of the relicensing process and can be a factor. License reviews are completed once a year for new casinos but every other year after that. Lumiere’ license is up for renewal in October 2013.
“Efforts to reduce crime”
The St. Louis Police Department says that police got 155 calls for service to Lumiere last year. However, Police Captain Kenneth Kegel, the Commander of the 4th District which covers downtown St. Louis, says the number can be deceiving . He says, “If someone’s car is broken into blocks away, they may call police from 999 N. 2nd which is Lumiere Casino’s address. That call will then be logged as part of the calls for service.” Captain Kegel says there were enough more serious alleged crimes including car break ins and strong armed robbery, that Kegel and representatives from Mayor Slay’s office began meeting with Lumiere’s security chief to suggest ways to reduce crime.
Capt. Kegel says one suggestion proved effective right away. Kegel says Lumiere had some security cameras in it’s parking garage but police suggested more in better locations. He says Lumiere agreed to install more surveillance cameras which were used to arrest two armed robbery suspects within 24 hours. He says a nearby street used by casino patrons was also identified as a hotbed of car break ins and robberies because it was really an alley. Lumiere installed gates to block it off from parking. Kegel says since that time, police have not had one report of a car break in or holdup.
Kegel says they will continue meeting with Lumiere security personnel. He says his department’s Crime Analysis Unit is giving the casino a weekly crime map of it’s property. “They’ll be able to look at that map and pinpoint areas of concern and respond accordingly.”
Lumiere officials are not commenting yet but Mayor Slay’s office says after meeting with the General Manager of the casino and hotel last fall about security, city hall is encouraged by the casinos positive response.
Kegel says they are reviewing surveillance video from the Christmas day robbery to see if the license plate of the suspects car can be seen.
But Kegel adds that all crime at Lumiere doesn’t originate there. “One robbery victim’s fate was sealed when he stopped at a liquor store in North St. Louis on his way to the casino. He flashed a big wad of cash and the suspects saw that money and followed his car for 15 minutes, all the way to Lumiere and robbed him near a garage elevator.” They were later arrested.
Showing posts with label Lumiere Place. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Lumiere Place. Show all posts
Wednesday, January 11, 2012
Monday, July 11, 2011
Missouri Casino Crimes
Two St. Louis men charged after robbery at River City casino
ST. LOUIS COUNTY • Two St. Louis men were charged today in a robbery early this morning outside the River City casino.
Maurice T. Wilson, 25, and Kenneth R. Wilson, 19, both of the 5000 block of Minerva Avenue, were charged with first-degree robbery and armed criminal action, police said. Wilson also was charged with resisting arrest by fleeing. Bail for both suspects was set at $100,000.
The relationship of the suspects was unclear; St. Louis County police spokesman Rick Eckhard said he didn't know if they were related.
St. Louis County police said a man was robbed on the parking lot of the casino, in south St. Louis County, about 2 a.m. The amount of money stolen was not released.
Police spotted the suspects' car and said the men tried to outrun officers. They fled into Illinois, but drove into a cornfield off of Route 3. The driver was arrested immediately.
A passenger ran off but was captured about three hours later in Dupo, police say. He was found, covered in mud, walking along Interstate 255.
Eckhard said the victim, who was not hurt, talked to a police officer working outside the casino. The officer quickly contacted dispatchers with a description of the suspects' car.
"Anyone who chooses (to commit robbery on) a casino parking lot is actually foolish because casinos on the inside contain the Highway Patrol and on the outside we do the security and there are a lot of surveillance cameras," Eckhard said. "It's a terrible place (for robberies), but lucky for us these people aren't always the brightest."
St. Louis County man sues Casino Queen after 'follow-home' robbery
BY NICHOLAS J.C. PISTOR
CLAYTON • A St. Louis County man has sued the Casino Queen, claiming the East St. Louis casino failed to protect him after he won $17,500 at a black jack table.
Mark Myers claimed the Casino Queen did not offer him "an alternative form of payment, such as a check, did not offer him a more private place in which to conduct his transaction, did not offer to provide him with a secure egress from the premises, and did not warn plaintiff that he was being openly stalked by two suspicious persons."
The suit, filed in St. Louis County on June 10, alleges Myers was followed home late at night on April 12, 2009 by two people after the casino got him a taxi cab. Myers was then robbed and shot by two assailants.
Suspect arrested in Lumière Place garage carjacking
ST. LOUIS • A suspect has been arrested in a carjacking overnight in the parking garage of Lumière Place casino downtown, police say.
The 21-year-old victim told police he had gone to get something from his car, a 2007 Mercedes S550 about 11:35 p.m. Tuesday at the casino garage, 999 N. Second Street. He saw a man get out of another car and walk toward him carrying a gun.
The gunman told the victim to put his belongings, including the keys to his car, in a bag. He followed the gunman's orders.
When the gunman saw a security officer, he put the gun in his pocket and told the victim to walk toward the elevators.
The gunman got into the victim's Mercedes and drove away. The victim told the security officer what had happened, police say. The victim was not injured.
The gunman was described as a black man, about 30 years old, 5-foot-8, 180 pounds, with a dark complexion and short black hair. He was wearing a black coat and dark pants and was armed with a small black handgun.
Police had no description of a man who was driving the car the suspect arrived in, possibly a Pontiac.
Wednesday afternoon, police said they had arrested a 21-year-old suspect, believed to have been the driver of the car used in the robbery. The gunman has not been arrested.
ST. LOUIS COUNTY • Two St. Louis men were charged today in a robbery early this morning outside the River City casino.
Maurice T. Wilson, 25, and Kenneth R. Wilson, 19, both of the 5000 block of Minerva Avenue, were charged with first-degree robbery and armed criminal action, police said. Wilson also was charged with resisting arrest by fleeing. Bail for both suspects was set at $100,000.
The relationship of the suspects was unclear; St. Louis County police spokesman Rick Eckhard said he didn't know if they were related.
St. Louis County police said a man was robbed on the parking lot of the casino, in south St. Louis County, about 2 a.m. The amount of money stolen was not released.
Police spotted the suspects' car and said the men tried to outrun officers. They fled into Illinois, but drove into a cornfield off of Route 3. The driver was arrested immediately.
A passenger ran off but was captured about three hours later in Dupo, police say. He was found, covered in mud, walking along Interstate 255.
Eckhard said the victim, who was not hurt, talked to a police officer working outside the casino. The officer quickly contacted dispatchers with a description of the suspects' car.
"Anyone who chooses (to commit robbery on) a casino parking lot is actually foolish because casinos on the inside contain the Highway Patrol and on the outside we do the security and there are a lot of surveillance cameras," Eckhard said. "It's a terrible place (for robberies), but lucky for us these people aren't always the brightest."
St. Louis County man sues Casino Queen after 'follow-home' robbery
BY NICHOLAS J.C. PISTOR
CLAYTON • A St. Louis County man has sued the Casino Queen, claiming the East St. Louis casino failed to protect him after he won $17,500 at a black jack table.
Mark Myers claimed the Casino Queen did not offer him "an alternative form of payment, such as a check, did not offer him a more private place in which to conduct his transaction, did not offer to provide him with a secure egress from the premises, and did not warn plaintiff that he was being openly stalked by two suspicious persons."
The suit, filed in St. Louis County on June 10, alleges Myers was followed home late at night on April 12, 2009 by two people after the casino got him a taxi cab. Myers was then robbed and shot by two assailants.
Suspect arrested in Lumière Place garage carjacking
ST. LOUIS • A suspect has been arrested in a carjacking overnight in the parking garage of Lumière Place casino downtown, police say.
The 21-year-old victim told police he had gone to get something from his car, a 2007 Mercedes S550 about 11:35 p.m. Tuesday at the casino garage, 999 N. Second Street. He saw a man get out of another car and walk toward him carrying a gun.
The gunman told the victim to put his belongings, including the keys to his car, in a bag. He followed the gunman's orders.
When the gunman saw a security officer, he put the gun in his pocket and told the victim to walk toward the elevators.
The gunman got into the victim's Mercedes and drove away. The victim told the security officer what had happened, police say. The victim was not injured.
The gunman was described as a black man, about 30 years old, 5-foot-8, 180 pounds, with a dark complexion and short black hair. He was wearing a black coat and dark pants and was armed with a small black handgun.
Police had no description of a man who was driving the car the suspect arrived in, possibly a Pontiac.
Wednesday afternoon, police said they had arrested a 21-year-old suspect, believed to have been the driver of the car used in the robbery. The gunman has not been arrested.
Saturday, June 25, 2011
Lumiere Place Fails to Protect Patrons From Violent Crimes
75-year-old man robbed at gunpoint at downtown St. Louis casino
(KMOV) – St. Louis police are investigating after a 75-year-old man was robbed at gunpoint during a trip to a downtown casino.
The incident happened in the garage at the Lumiere Place casino around 7:00 p.m. on Thursday. The man was getting out of his car inside the Lumiere garage and was headed to the elevator when he felt a gun in his back.
He was robbed of his cash and valuables and pushed out of the elevator. The victim was not seriously injured and police are now questioning two persons of interest in this case.
Casino officials say they're cooperating with police, but News 4 has been investigating police calls to the facility, and this is no isolated incident.
News 4 gave casino managers every chance to tell us why these problems continue to plague customers, but they declined our request.
This is the eighth armed robbery at Lumiere since January. Since January 1, 2011, St. Louis police have been called to the casino for six assaults, eight hold-ups, two strong-armed robberies, six auto thefts and two carjackings.
Security guards can be seen patrolling the grounds, but the crimes continue to add up at the casino.
News 4 compared the number of police calls at Lumiere Place to a similar venue, River City casino. St. Louis County police responded to 453 calls there so far this year, while St. Louis police have only received 232 calls at Lumiere Place. One major difference though, none of the calls to River City were calls for violence.
(KMOV) – St. Louis police are investigating after a 75-year-old man was robbed at gunpoint during a trip to a downtown casino.
The incident happened in the garage at the Lumiere Place casino around 7:00 p.m. on Thursday. The man was getting out of his car inside the Lumiere garage and was headed to the elevator when he felt a gun in his back.
He was robbed of his cash and valuables and pushed out of the elevator. The victim was not seriously injured and police are now questioning two persons of interest in this case.
Casino officials say they're cooperating with police, but News 4 has been investigating police calls to the facility, and this is no isolated incident.
News 4 gave casino managers every chance to tell us why these problems continue to plague customers, but they declined our request.
This is the eighth armed robbery at Lumiere since January. Since January 1, 2011, St. Louis police have been called to the casino for six assaults, eight hold-ups, two strong-armed robberies, six auto thefts and two carjackings.
Security guards can be seen patrolling the grounds, but the crimes continue to add up at the casino.
News 4 compared the number of police calls at Lumiere Place to a similar venue, River City casino. St. Louis County police responded to 453 calls there so far this year, while St. Louis police have only received 232 calls at Lumiere Place. One major difference though, none of the calls to River City were calls for violence.
Saturday, March 5, 2011
Slot Barn funds effort to reduce crime around property
Mounted cameras assist St. Louis police with plate searches
Written by Patrick O'Connell
St. Louis Post-Dispatch
St. Louis -- As officer Bob Bates maneuvers his patrol car south on Jefferson Avenue, the computer mounted on the center console lets out a series of high-pitched tones.
Bates' eyes are locked on the road, but a high-tech system installed in the squad car is focused on the license plates of the vehicles around him.
Ping. Ping. Ping.
With each passing car, the computer registers a license plate number. Tiny cameras mounted atop the patrol car snap photos of each plate, feeding information into the computer.
While Bates changes lanes, the computer is checking to see if the car in front of him has been reported as stolen, is connected to a felony crime or is the focus of a search by police across the country.
St. Louis police will soon have the "automated license plate recognition system" technology installed in three department squad cars.
The first system was paid for by Lumiere Place in an effort to help cut down on car-related crimes -- a common problem -- around the casino.
Written by Patrick O'Connell
St. Louis Post-Dispatch
St. Louis -- As officer Bob Bates maneuvers his patrol car south on Jefferson Avenue, the computer mounted on the center console lets out a series of high-pitched tones.
Bates' eyes are locked on the road, but a high-tech system installed in the squad car is focused on the license plates of the vehicles around him.
Ping. Ping. Ping.
With each passing car, the computer registers a license plate number. Tiny cameras mounted atop the patrol car snap photos of each plate, feeding information into the computer.
While Bates changes lanes, the computer is checking to see if the car in front of him has been reported as stolen, is connected to a felony crime or is the focus of a search by police across the country.
St. Louis police will soon have the "automated license plate recognition system" technology installed in three department squad cars.
The first system was paid for by Lumiere Place in an effort to help cut down on car-related crimes -- a common problem -- around the casino.
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