Video Shows Poker Player Robbed, Assaulted at Texas Hotel After Large Win
Police say two suspects followed a man to his hotel in Houston, where they robbed the victim of his poker winnings.
The incident occurred on Aug.1 in the Galleria area, a major shopping and business district in Texas' most populous city. Neither suspect has been identified, but Houston police have reviewed some surveillance footage that could lead them in the right direction.
Poker Winnings Robbed
An unidentified victim, according to police, won an undisclosed amount during a poker game at a local card room on Aug. 1. The individual then returned to the DoubleTree Hotel at 5:40 a.m., where the suspects confronted him in the lobby.
The suspects, according to investigators, exited a white sedan and entered the lobby. They located the poker player standing near the elevator, and that is when they forced the victim to the ground with an unknown object and stole his wallet, video footage shows.
A brief video from inside the hotel lobby shows the victim waiting for the elevator while on his cell phone, minding his own business. One of the suspects then punched him in the head before he even had time to react. The other suspect then piled on before quickly grabbing the victim's wallet and leaving the hotel.
The robbers then returned to the sedan and bolted away from the property, entering the car on the right side, as someone else was driving. Police say the poker player had won a large sum of money and believe the suspects followed him from the poker room to the hotel, which is about two miles away.
A $5,000 cash reward is available to anyone who can provide tips leading to the arrest. Those who might have some information to share with police can call Crime Stoppers at 713-222-TIPS (8477) or leave a tip online at www.crime-stoppers.org.
