VEGAS MYTHS RE-BUSTED: The ‘Ocean’s 11’ Casino Robbery is Possible
EDITOR’S NOTE: “Vegas Myths Busted” publishes new entries every Monday, with a bonus Flashback Friday edition. Today’s entry in our ongoing series originally ran on Nov. 18, 2022.
The robberies of casino cages at both Resorts World Las Vegas and the Gold Coast Casino have brought back a favorite topic of Las Vegas speculation. Is it possible to successfully rob a casino vault, as depicted in the 2001 movie “Ocean’s 11?”
“I don’t even know where to even begin with that,” said Fred Del Marva, an Arizona-based casino security consultant and expert. Over the past 36 years, his clients have included Caesars Palace, The Mirage, and the Golden Nugget.
First of all, according to Del Marva, a criminal would need to know exactly where a vault is. That’s a tall order because every casino keeps theirs in a different, top-secret location. “Somebody has to have the blueprints on how to get in and out,” he said. “Or a very inside source, like the contractor.”
Also, a criminal would need to know the access numbers or have a card programmed to unlock all of the digital deterrents encountered along the way. In “Ocean’s 11,” Matt Damon’s character uses his pickpocketing skills to steal the codes for the vault doors. Del Marva laughed at the likelihood of this opportunity ever presenting itself in real life.
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