Arrested for attempted theft of nearly 20,000 euros from a slot machine

One of the three perpetrators in Alicante who were involved in the attempted robbery of a slot machine in a gambling hall, resulting in the theft of €18,440, has been arrested by the National Police. The method used for this attempted theft of the slot machine was known as the “engorda stacker.”

This fraudulent activity involves manipulating devices to obtain tickets, which the perpetrators then convert into cash. The perpetrators conducted themselves in a structured fashion, with a distinct allocation of responsibilities.

Commencement of research and initial findings

The police investigation commenced following the filing of a complaint by the slot machine proprietor. He reported an attempted robbery of a slot machine, in which three individuals attempted to take the stored money.

The proprietor informed the officers that the suspects had repeatedly operated the machine for approximately an hour without engaging in any gameplay. In this manner, they fraudulently accumulated a substantial quantity of credit and subsequently attempted to force the cash drawer and steal the cash.

Implementation of operational strategies

The “engorda stacker” method involves the exploitation of slot machines that do not distribute cash prizes, but rather redeemable coupons. The perpetrators recognised this particular machine, inserted bills without placing any bets, and requested an instantaneous refund in the form of a ticket.

They subsequently exchanged these tickets for the corresponding cash at the establishment’s change dispenser.

In less than an hour, they executed this operation 26 times. While one of the perpetrators processed the tickets, the other secured the machine to prevent other customers from using it. In this manner, they preserved their authority over the procedure.

Upon accumulating nearly 20,000 euros in the attempted slot machine robbery, they unsealed the emergency exit of the premises. Additionally, they permitted a third suspect to enter, who was armed with gloves, a full-face headgear, and tools.

He forcibly opened the cash drawer with the intention of extracting all the accumulated currency.

A member of the establishment surprised them at that moment by promptly escaping through the same emergency exit without securing the loot.

Investigators subsequently located the motorbike on which one of them fled the scene. It was verified that the individuals implicated had visited the salon in the previous days to coordinate the specifics of the crime.

Alleged facts and their presentation in court

The investigation led to the identification and arrest in Alicante of one of the three perpetrators, who had previously been arrested for attempted slot machine thefts. The burglaries in question are comparable to those that transpired in Elche recently.

The Alicante Investigative Court was summoned to hear the detainee. The apprehension and location of the remaining two suspects are anticipated to occur in the near future, and the police investigation is still ongoing.

Instructions for reporting this form of criminal activity

The National Police reminds owners of gaming halls and establishments with recreational machines that:

• Regularly monitor ticket collection and issuance systems, especially those machines that allow redemption without staff intervention.
  
• Install security cameras that are directed towards the ticket exchange areas and the devices, and conduct regular reviews of the recordings.
  
• Establish internal alert protocols for repetitive or suspicious behavior, such as repeated requests for tickets with no apparent game play.
  
• Ensure that emergency doors are not utilised as unauthorised escape routes by controlling access to them.
  Train staff to detect fraud patterns known as “engorda stacker” and immediately report any suspicions to the National Police.
  
• The early detection of signals of tampering and citizen collaboration are indispensable. This helps prevent both scams and burglaries in public establishments.

The National Police has made its contact channels available to the public. Also, remember that any criminal act, such as an attempted theft of a slot machine, can be reported confidentially to the police station or through www.policia.es .