MIDDLETOWN — A lone male subject wearing a mask and carrying a handgun entered Twin Pine Casino shortly before down on Monday morning and robbed the tribal gaming facility of an undisclosed amount of money at gunpoint, according to the Lake County Sheriff”s Office (LCSO).
The robbery was confirmed by Jose Simon III, tribal chairman of Twin Pine Casino operations.
An LCSO report said that the gunman entered the casino at 4:47 a.m. wearing a black mesh mask, a green jacket and tan pants with a handgun described as a revolver. He was described as being 5-feet, 10 inches tall, and of average build.
After completing the robbery, the subject “carjacked” a vehicle in the Twin Pine parking lot and drove off, according to sheriff”s deputies who responded.
The vehicle, a small white truck, was later found abandoned behind Perry”s Delicatessen, a short distance north of the casino on Highway 29.
As of Monday, the amount taken from the casino had not yet been confirmed.
The LCSO report said that the man reportedly took cash from a change belt worn by an employee, but Simon said the man held up the casino cage and took the money from a drawer.
“It was actually the cash cage as far as I know,” said Simon, “and it was a change drawer, not a belt.
“It was single guy who came in and was very quick and determined,” Simon added. “He came directly in, got out and that was it.”
Simon said that there were relatively few people in the casino at the time of the alleged robbery and added that Twin Pine is “committed to providing a safe and secure gaming environment for our customers, and is cooperating with the sheriff”s department in its investigation.”
The sheriff”s department is requesting that anyone who may have seen a male fitting its description of the gunman passing through the area of Twin Pine Casino and Perry”s Deli at about 5 a.m. on Monday contact Sgt. Mike Morshed at 262-4200 during regular business hours.
Contact John Lindblom at jlwordsmilth@mchsi.com.
