A gang of four robbers disguised in black motorcycle masks robbed the Grand Hyatt Berlin hotel in a daring daylight robbery during the European Poker Tour poker tournament. The robbers pointed handguns and long knives at a cashier, escaping through a crowded shopping mall with over €100,000 (US$136,000). A hotel security guard was hurt as he forced one of the gang members to drop a bag filled with cash.
A handful of players and onlookers were injured while trying to get away from the gang. The tournament hosted more than nine hundred players, with a prize pool of over €3.6 million (US$4.9 million) and a top prize of €1 million (US$1.36 million). The large amount of cash on hand, combined with the high visibility of the no-limit Texas Holdem tournament, made a tempting target for the robbers, according to observers.
German police investigators are examining video footage of the robbery for clues. Detectives have not yet announced if they were able to pick up images of the robbers without their masks. According to a spokesman for the hotel, one of the robbers did not wear gloves and police were able to lift fingerprints. A police spokesperson said that the robbery did not appear to be the work of professional thieves, but rather a crime of opportunity.
The robbery occurred as the final two players, Kevin MacPhee of Coeur D’Alene, Idaho, and Ilari Tahkokallio of Helsinki, Finland, were playing for the top prize. Tahkokallio lost the hand that occurred during the theft, but asked the dealer to continue the hand in the interests of fair play. A few hands later, Tahkokallio finished second, taking home €680,000 (US$925,000) and MacPhee won first place.
A spokeswoman for the European Poker Tour, which is sponsored by PokerStars.Net and has no affiliation with the World Poker Tour, said that the tour works with security squads at their respective venues and "will continue to do so". She said that security measures will be increased for future tournaments, but that the will go on as scheduled.
