A security guard at a California casino was charged with stealing a diamond ring worth $100,000, The Mercury News reported.

A high-roller customer allegedly accidentally dropped their ring at Parkwest Casino 580 in Livermore, California. They informed casino officials that they brought the ring to show it to a friend but must have dropped it when they stood up from a poker table.

A dealer found the ring still in its box and handed it to the security guard, who decided to keep it for themselves.

A mind-numbing crime

There wasn’t a stroke of genius involved in the theft. The security guard that was handed the ring simply took a glance around the room to ensure they weren’t being watched, removed the ring from the box, and placed it into their pocket.

Unfortunately for the security guard – but also fortunately for the casino and the guest – they did not check to make sure they were out of shot of the nearby security camera, which caught the entire scene.

Police quickly discovered the perpetrator after the ring’s theft was reported. They identified the security guard as a 49-year-old from Stockton and received a confession. The guard also handed over the ring, which was then returned to its rightful owner.

Parkwest Casino may not have the best hiring process, as this is the second time that a casino employee was found to have stolen while on the job.

A baccarat dealer was implicated in a cheating ring that resulted in the casino being defrauded of $4 million. The dealer and their conspirators were convicted in 2020.

Maryland casino defrauded of $27,000

Casinos are a hotspot for wealthy patrons – but with large sums of money on the line, the possibility of crime is an ever-present danger.

The Live! Casino & Hotel in Maryland found that out the hard way earlier this year. 

Two VIP casino hosts – Sonejah Richards of Forestville and Allen Hill of Washington D.C. – were charged with theft after they defrauded their place of employment of $27,000 by issuing coupons to fraudulent accounts that they, along with their co-conspirators, could steal from.

The co-conspirators played through the coupons on slot machines and then cashed out the winnings, which they shared with the VIP hosts. Richards took $20,000 from the casino and Hills stole $7,300 in February alone.

The pair of men were charged with felony and misdemeanor theft and identity fraud.