Man Accused of Robbing Colorado Casino Twice in a Month

A Colorado Springs man who allegedly tried and failed to jump the cash cage at J.P. McGills Casino in Cripple Creek, Colorado, in July is now accused of attempting the same stunt again on August 18.

Police Catch Repeat Offender

The suspect, 26-year-old Andrew Joel Irvine, allegedly helped himself to more than $76,000 from the cage at McGills Casino. However, he did not make it far after stealing the money as he was taken into custody by Colorado Springs Police officers with assistance from the Colorado Division of Gaming, according to the arrest affidavit obtained by KKTV News.

Irvine is currently being held at the Teller County Jail on a $50,000 bond. He faces charges of second-degree burglary, attempted theft, and third-degree burglary. His next court appearance is scheduled for September 8.

In a media release, Cripple Creek Police Chief Charles Bright stated that the case highlights the effectiveness of interagency cooperation. He expressed appreciation for the support and professionalism of the Colorado Division of Gaming and the Colorado Springs Police Department as efforts to resolve the case continue.

This Isn’t Irvine’s First Rodeo

As mentioned, Irvine allegedly tried to rob the J.P. McGills Casino once before, but failed to do so. Casino staff informed police that this wasn’t Irvine’s first attempt, noting he jumped the counter “just like the last time,” referring to the earlier incident on July 19. During that attempt, a cashier managed to stop Irvine before he could access any money. However, the latest incident proved successful for Irvine… until he was caught mere hours later. Interestingly, around the same time that Irvine allegedly committed the crime, two other casino robbers were also caught on the same day they stole money from the Apache Gold Casino and Resort in San Carlos, Arizona.

But back to Irvine’s case, at around 4 am on August 18, the casino’s video security system caught what police say is Irvine loitering around the venue. According to police, surveillance footage shows Irvine surveying the hallway leading to the cash cage before stepping outside. He returns about a minute later, this time wearing a dark face mask. While the cashier is in a backroom connected to the cage, the video captures Irvine leaping over the counter, grabbing two handfuls of cash, and jumping back over before fleeing into the night. The entire incident unfolded in under two minutes.

According to the affidavit, Irvine then made his way to his vehicle, which was parked at the nearby Double Eagle Casino. Later that day, when officers apprehended him in Colorado Springs, Irvine reportedly told them, “I was dumb. I like broke the law.”