Metro: Sportsbook employee admits to robbing workplace of $23K

A Las Vegas casino employee stole more than $20,000 from the sportsbook where he worked by robbing co-workers at knifepoint earlier this month, authorities said.

James Mitchell, 23, was arrested July 16 and faces felony charges including robbery, according to court records.

The Metropolitan Police Department said in an arrest report released Wednesday that Mitchell robbed the sportsbook at Virgin Hotels Las Vegas, at 4455 Paradise Road, at East Harmon Avenue just east of the Strip, shortly after 9 p.m. July 14, and stole approximately $23,290.

According to the report, Mitchell entered the casino and went into a restroom nearest to the sportsbook to put on a mask and gloves. Police said Mitchell then walked behind the sportsbook counter while holding a knife.

Employees were closing when Mitchell confronted one worker with a knife, police said. The arrest report said Mitchell emptied two cash drawers and walked away without speaking. After the robber left, police said, an employee activated a robbery alarm to alert security and police.

Police said that while apprehension efforts were in motion, investigators told a casino employee they believed the robber was a current employee, and Mitchell was identified as the suspect. Mitchell was escorted by security into police custody and was taken to Metro headquarters for questioning, according to the report.

Police said Mitchell admitted arriving at the Virgin early July 14 with a knife and a “clear plan to rob” the sportsbook, and returned to the business after he was prevented from executing his plan earlier in the day, according to the report.

“Mitchell stated he felt he needed the money,” police wrote in the arrest report.

Mitchell told police he had spent about $3,000 and that other stolen money was in his apartment. Detectives searched Mitchell’s apartment and found more than $10,000 hidden in two locations, along with clothing police said he wore during the robbery.

Police did not say whether they recovered all of the stolen money. The report said Mitchell told officers he found vulnerabilities to exploit regarding the book’s business practices.

Mitchell remained in custody at the Clark County Detention Center as of Wednesday, according to online jail records. His bail has been set at $50,000.

Las Vegas Justice Court records show Mitchell made his initial appearance July 21. If released, he must remain on medium-level electronic monitoring and must stay out of the Strip corridor.

He is being represented by the Clark County public defender’s office, which did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

A spokesperson for Virgin Hotels Las Vegas declined to comment and deferred to law enforcement.

A preliminary hearing is scheduled for Aug. 4.