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The man who allegedly took gaming chips worth $55,000 last Tuesday afternoon was captured and arrested after returning to the casino after just four hours. David J Blatt, from Brooklyn, NY, took the stack of chips from the blackjack table of Parx Casino in Bucks County. According to police, Blatt allegedly took the chips around 3:15 p.m. and authorities were aware of his identity when the crime was reported, however the public was not informed as they were investigating the incident.
The thief was said to have been seated at the blackjack table and reached into the dealer’s tray and took 11 $5,000 chips from it. He then left the casino and went into a waiting vehicle outside which was described to be a possibly gray, light colored, small SUV and went in an unknown direction.
The theft was actively investigated by people from the Pennsylvania State Police Bureau of Gaming Enforcement. There was a video of the crime scene, which led to the identification of Blatt. His identity was known to the authorities as well as the casino officials.
Blatt returned to the casino at about 7:30 p.m. that same day with the chips he took earlier. With the stolen items, he was arrested by the state police gaming enforcement officers. Everything was recovered and the thief was sent to Bucks County Prison with $75,000 bail. He was charged with 11 counts of theft by unlawful taking and receiving stolen property. A sad ending for Blatt yet a good one for the state police and casino.
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