Books have been written and movies have been made with all kinds of wonderful, intricate plans for a successful casino heist, but real life is sometimes much simpler. This story from the pages of Listverse shows what I mean.
The Bill Brennan Heist
In the popular movie Ocean’s Eleven, a large group of thieves orchestrate a complicated heist in which they steal millions of dollars from a casino. In real life, it’s insanely difficult to rob a casino because of their many layers of security. However, one of the few successful real-life casino heists was remarkably simple.
For four years, Bill Brennan was employed as a sports book cashier at the Stardust Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas. On the morning of September 22, 1992, Brennan showed up for work as usual. However, during his lunch break, Brennan managed to walk away from the casino with $507,361 in stolen cash and chips. When police raided Brennan’s apartment, he was nowhere to be found, and he quickly became one of the FBI’s most wanted fugitives.
Brennan did not draw any attention to himself during the heist. It’s believed that he carefully studied the casino’s security systems, as no surveillance footage captured him stealing the money or leaving the establishment. According to those who knew him, Brennan was an unremarkable loner who never caused any problems, but seemed to undergo an attitude change when management refused to promote him to a supervisory position. This was because Brennan had started hanging around with a regular bettor at the casino whom management considered shady and distrustful.
Curiously, this bettor also disappeared a few months after the heist, leading to speculation that he and Brennan had orchestrated the crime together. If Brennan did have an accomplice, it’s possible he might have been double-crossed and killed for the stolen money. But until Bill Brennan is found, this will remain one of the most infamous unsolved heists of all time.
All I know is that there is a lot of desert around Las Vegas and Brennan made off with a lot of money. The money might be found, but I really don't think Brennan (or his grave) ever will. Just my opinion.
Coffee out on the patio once more. I know, I know...it's hot!
