The "Biker Bandit"

WhatHappensInVegas · #1 02-07-2011, 05:58 PM

By now we've all heard the seemingly unbelievable casino heist/caper of the $1,500,000 in chips stolen from the Bellagio. We've heard the unavoidable references to "Ocean's Eleven" and the references to the impossibilities of a "smash and grab" casino robbery. Hard to believe that on December 14, 2010, a man could ride a motorcycle up to the Bellagio entrance and steal chips worth $1.5 million dollars using nothing but a fanny pack and gun.

Yesterday, the Las Vegas Sun reported that the "Biker Bandit" was reaching out to casino forum posters at TwoPlusTwo.com in order to unload the $25,000 chips, also known as Cranberries. One of the posters, Matthew Brooks, tried to smoke the "Biker Bandit" out by pretending to be interested in the chips, which were being offered at $.20 on the dollar.

As it turns out, Brooks wasn't the only one hot on the trail of this alledged "Biker Bandit." As we later found out, Anthony M. Carleo was identified and charged with armed robbery, assault and burglary. As reported by the Las Vegas Sun, Anthony Carleo, the 29-year-old sun of a Las Vegas municipal judge has requested a delay of his preliminary hearing to February 23rd, presumably to allow the media dust to settle before entering a plea.

Some say the capture of Carleo was only a matter of time, especially since the Bellagio announced it would no longer honor its $25,000 chips as of April 2011. Some say his capture was a matter of improper planning, as if he woke up one day and decided he'd go rob a casino that afternoon. And some speculate that he might have gotten away with it if he would have worn some spandex and leather around his mouth. Or his forum-posting fingers.

What do you think? Dumbest criminal ever or best prison story in Cell Block E?

vegasnut · #2 02-07-2011, 06:09 PM

LOL....well I am not sure what it would be called.... good one for that TV show "I almost got away with it" LOL

Folks just don't seem to understand what the police dept's and such are using facebook and internet to track people.

I saw a TV show the other day saying that bounty hunters were using facebook to track where someone might be.....

if you are on the "run" don't post on Facebook "going to SC next week to visit mom" LOL

VegasLuvsMe · #3 02-07-2011, 06:16 PM

WhatHappensInVegas, I think it's more like the best or dumbest criminal story on cell block E for the "Biker Bandit".

What was this man thinking?

First off, and some of us have mentioned this several times; Casinos have "cameras" all over the place.

And Second, he shouldn't have blogged about his chips and posted them for others to check out, or even emailing pictures of them to one person for that matter.

I'm wondering, are we going to see this "Biker Bandit" story on the "dumbest criminals" videos on the televison in the future?

I think it would look better as a video story put together.

nutforslots · #4 02-07-2011, 06:28 PM

This has to be the dumbest criminal ever. I can't believe that after getting away from the scene of the crime that he would be so stupid as to advertise "I did it".

The world is full of idiots and now we know the name of yet another one. I wonder if he will continue to brag while he is locked up. I am going to guess that it won't be long before he stops as he is going to be the laughing stock on cell block B.

VegasLover · #5 02-07-2011, 09:15 PM

Yea, got to lean a little towards daring, then once he had them he turned a little stupid.

Real shame is he will do time and get a TV deal out of it and end up with the money legitimately

WhatHappensInVegas · #6 02-07-2011, 11:38 PM

Guess it just goes to show that you have to be a little stupid to do something so risky. Some people jump out of planes. Some try to get something for nothing. He'll still end up getting a book deal from some equally moronic publisher. Although it looks like if a deal was ever struck to unravel this mastermind, it'd be a fairly quick read.

IluvVegas · #7 02-08-2011, 02:15 AM

Rofl, this is the dumbest thing I have read in a long while but I sure got a good laugh out of it. I had even said to someone that this person would get caught because of the bragging, and I was right.

And who knows, it may even turn into a movie.

vegasrocks · #8 02-08-2011, 02:24 AM

I have no doubt that we will be watching this on the big screen one day in the future.

Dumb? Of course the whole thing was dumb if you feel as I do and that no one should ever do something like this. But he almost got away with it. He had the balls to walk into that casino and take what we wanted. If he hadn't have screwed up afterwards they'd still be looking for him.

VegasVirgin · #9 02-08-2011, 03:16 AM

Obviously he was a drug addict since they found him strung out and using narcotics. Sadly he thought that stealing dressed like one of the Village People with a fanny pack was an easy way to score money for more drugs. Hope Brooks gets some recognition for helping catch him.

VegasLuvsMe · #10 02-08-2011, 01:33 PM

I can see it now; "Biker Bandit", coming to a theater near you... Starring Burt Rynolds (from 'Smokey and the Bandit'—Get it?

)...

Mr. Carleo could make out like a 'bandit' if the publicity keeps on the rise and him doing time in prison may not be as long as some of us would like.

If this Biker Bandit gets away with signing a book deal and/or having a movie made about him, what would this tell all the other druggies in Las Vegas?

I think the word would get out that it's ok to rob a Las Vegas casino and profitable as well; as long as you do drugs, your actions can't be held against you.

I say give the "Biker Bandit" nothing! He's a criminal... Hello?