A chip bandit that stole $1.5million from the Bellagio could be out in as little as three years after he was handed a generous sentence by the District Court. Anthony Carleo was given three to 11 years in the clink for armed robbery and assault with a deadly weapon for the offence that took place in December last year. It seems after pleading guilty back in June, the sentencing group took a favourable view of the 30-year-old. It must also be said though that this was Carleo first offence.
At the hearing the accused said, “I am truly sorry for the chaos.” He continued, “My actions were reckless.”
The sentence means that he will be eligible for parole by March 2013. It’s a case that has angered a number connected to the gambling industry. David Schwartz, director of the Center for Gaming Research at UNLV commented, “You’d think they would have wanted to send a stronger message.”
Carleo was found out after CCTV caught him stealing the chips from the casino whilst donning a trademark motorcycle helmet complete with leathers. It started off a manhunt that involved the casino itself, police and even Vegas’ own version of Robin Hood.
Stealing chips from a casino should net every offender a feature on the World’s Dumbest Criminals. The fact that most chips are now fitted with RFiD (Radio Frequency Identification) means that robbing a casino isn’t as worthwhile as it would have been back in Oceans Eleven. Carleo doesn’t have the swagger of Clooney or Pitt either.
