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Man arrested for stealing more than $14,000 in gaming chips, agents say

PIERCE COUNTY, Wash. — A man suspected of stealing more than $14,000 in gaming chips from a Lakewood casino was arrested.

Officials with the Washington State Gambling Commission said the man pried open a chip tray on a closed gaming table on Dec. 18, 2019, at Macau Casino.

The man placed the chips in his pockets and attempted to cash in $2,700 worth of chips, officials said.

Officials said when a cashier called surveillance to verify the winnings, he then reached into the cashier’s cage and grabbed back the chips and left.

The man’s photo was given to other casinos and card rooms after Gambling Commission agents reviewed surveillance in hopes of catching him, officials said.

Officials said on Jan. 6, 2020, the man, identified as a 37-year-old Tacoma resident, was spotted at the Emerald Queen Casino in Fife and was arrested and booked into the Pierce County Jail.

He was charged by the Pierce County Prosecutor’s Office with first-degree theft.