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Gameroom robberies worry tour operators
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Posted on Sep 01 2000
Local tour operators yesterday urged owners of poker gameroom establishments to hire their own security guards to protect customers, particularly tourists, from gameroom robberies.
The tour operators expressed concern on the effect of the rising incidents of gameroom robberies which they said present a negative image for the CNMI.
“We have Japanese tourists who visit the poker gamerooms after they have finished their package tours. We don’t want them to experience being hurt and robbed during that time because it is a big blackeye to the tourist industry,” said David Igitol, general manager of Tasi Tours.
A 24-hour establishment like the poker gamerooms should have security personnel to deter possible attack from robbers, they said.
“It is extremely important for them to hire security guards because the gamerooms have lately become the target of the criminals,” said George Teguchi of Tropical Leisure and Sports Inc.
Island Cruise Line boat captain Benny Iriarte said the government should even require poker gamerooms to provide a 24-hour security for the safety of their customers in the same way that other tourist-related businesses are asked to follow certain security requirements for their clients.
Two more poker gamerooms were robbed early Tuesday morning, adding to the growing list of gamerooms which have been victimized by still unknown suspects.
Dynasty Poker in Garapan was robbed by two unidentified men who fled with $2,000 in cash at 5:10 a.m. early this week. About half an hour later, two suspects, one wearing a mask, robbed Texas poker gameroom in Susupe and fled with an undetermined amount of money.
