Manhunt Continues for Suspect in $1.3M Missouri Casino Robbery

A bizarre daytime robbery took place at the Isle of Capri Casino in Missouri last week, and a suspect – a security guard – has already been arrested in relation to the case.

A second suspect, however, is still on the run, with police actively searching for the man who made away with nearly $1.3 million from the casino.

An Inside Man Makes All the Difference

The robbery was going according to plan, and the culprits might have just made it away without anyone getting caught – or identified for a long time. However, at least one patron intervened and tried to stop the robbers.

This led to police being able to arrest one Benjamin Michael-Dass Charles, aged 21, and previously working as a security guard at the casino. His accomplice, one Hollis C. Vanleer Jr., aged 20, is the person who is currently missing and whom the Missouri State Highway Patrol is trying to bring into custody. 

The robbery took place in broad daylight at 2:13 pm with two masked men entering the casino carrying AR-15-style rifles. The culprits, presumably Vanleer and an unnamed accomplice, managed to get into the casino’s bank area quickly and stuff $1,276,000 into a duffel bag.

They were nearly out of the property when a patron intervened and tackled one of the men to the ground. The accomplice doubled back and started hitting the patron in the face until the assailed robber was able to free himself. 

The pair then made away with a 1998 Ford Taurus that was later found abandoned in Howard County. The vehicle contained a receipt for a purchase made with a card that belonged to Charles, allowing officers to pinpoint at least one of the people involved and bring him in on Friday, March 27. 

The Jig Is Up for the Security Guard 

Charles was on duty on the day of the robbery, which was also a part of the plan. He is pinned as the master mind of the whole thing, not least because a weapon tied to his name was found in the abandoned car.

Charles spent about a month figuring out the robbery, how his accomplices would act on the gaming floor, and what the best time to attempt the heist was. Police also found explosive devices in the car, which Charles said were going to be used to serve as a distraction.

As to the stolen funds and rifles, Charles admitted to having transported those out of state. Charles has been charged with first-degree robbery, first-degree assault, armed criminal action, possession of explosive weapons, and tampering with physical evidence as the search for his accomplices continues.