Police: Criminals targeting casino-goers, following them home

Criminals targeting casino customers, police warn

What's the next best thing to robbing a casino? For thieves, it's robbing the people leaving the casino. Police are warning of this growing trend.

SKYWAY, Wash. - Concerned by a growing trend, Bellevue Police want casino-goers to be wary.

Early Tuesday morning, an employee at Roman Casino in Skyway was ambushed as she tried to enter her apartment in Bellevue's Factoria neighborhood. According to Officer Seth Tyler, a crew of armed young men had tailed her all the way home from the casino.

"There were five suspects all armed with either handguns or rifles," explained Tyler. "The suspects may have suspected that the victim actually was gambling at the casino, but it just turns out they were an innocent employee working at this casino."

This is not the first time someone has been targeted leaving a casino. Over the past year, FOX 13 News has reported on several other incidents, among them one in Kent and another in Beacon Hill.

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"Specifically, Asian Americans being followed home and then robbed in this matter," said Tyler. "You really need to be aware of your surroundings, this isn't the first time in the region that there have been these follow-home robberies."