Dallas Poker Bandits/Killers Still a Danger?
Reports of Armed Robbery in Cedar Hill
I was just doing a little research earlier today on the status of the unsolved Arlington, TX, poker homicide. While I hadn’t come across anything new yet regarding pursuit of the killer(s), I had been hearing that all was calm and comfortable in the D-town underground. I was supposing this only made sense — as surely the poker bandits had learned the guy they shot died (sorry, I’m still working on getting the victim’s actual name) … and the one silver lining if you could find one in death is that it probably meant an end to their reign of poker havoc.
It had to just be too risky, robbing poker games in Dallas now … with a potential murder charge should they get caught. After all, the DPD has a pretty good idea who the gun-toting, ski-mask donning poker thugs are … rooms have been getting hit in similar fashions for about a year-and-a-half … or at least a short-list of primary suspects. And while that’s no guarantee that the string of robberies in Dallas is connected to the homicide at an Arlington apartment game … shit, even Pokerati knows of more similarities than just “two black guys” that would at least merit a look by law enforcement.
Or so I thought … From a Patrick the Pokerati commenter:
dan,
you hear about the same robbery bandits strike again. This time in an asian home game in Cedar Hill. Gated $500K homes community. Very bold. Same MO tall black and short black… guns.. police arrived just 2 mins too late…
Sigh … I had not heard about this, but now I have.
Not sure what to make of this — reliable sources, please feel free to share any info …
I know something doesn’t add up. See above. Really, the same bad guys can’t be back on the poker-room trail, can they? Too much heat! And copycats? I suppose maybe with the original and/or homicidal Dallas Poker Bandits laying low the market could be seen as untapped by aspiring violent criminals … but that would just be stupid, right? After all, we know how things work in Texas … even if you weren’t the killers, it’s at best a coinflip situation of having the Arlington homicide pinned on you, especially if you happen to be black.
UPDATE: The Cedar Hill robbery did happen — a couple days ago, in a place that supposedly sometimes hosts a higher stakes game. They were having a birthday party the night of the robbery, however, not “the big game” … so a lot more players/cars in the neighborhood than usual. The Cedar Hill Robbers reportedly got away with about $15,000.
IMPORTANT NOTE: While Patrick is hearing the Cedar Hill Robbers had the same MO and appearance as the Dallas Poker Bandits and Presumed Arlington Poker Killers … two other secondhand sources are saying the exact opposite … that these were not the same guys, right down to different skin color.
Johnny Hughes says:
October 20th, 2008 at 8:06am
It is sad how poker has changed. Back in the day, the robbers were a lot more high class and professional bunch of folks. A big part of their job was not to hurt anybody.
DanM says:
October 20th, 2008 at 8:08am
Right, because they wouldn’t want to kill a game any more than a shark would want to chase away a whale, no?
DealerZach says:
October 20th, 2008 at 3:39pm
I came up with a genius way of catching these guys Dan, but I can’t post it here incase they are listening!!!!!!!
message me if you want to hear it Dan
DanM says:
October 20th, 2008 at 3:47pm
Umm …. these are not the droids you’re looking for.
Cedarvictims says:
October 20th, 2008 at 4:37pm
DanM,
As one of the thirty victims of the Cedar Hill robbery, I would like to clarify that the “Poker Bandits” got away with less than 5,000. Yes, in fact, we were having a surprise birthday party – – and perhaps that one element alone had saved us. Rather than having our private game with under 15, we had over thirty people — which threw off the bandits since they were unable to control all of us.
Well, the robbery had occurred approximately 3:30am. The two bandits had jumped over the gate from the backyard and entered through the backdoor (which was unlocked for smokers to come in and out of the house to the patio). The tall poker bandit (6’2″, definitely African American) in orange/reddish mask had his shotgun directly pointing towards the folks at the first table. Quickly ensued, the short poker bandit (5’6″) masked in a faintly similar Scream Halloween mask had his small pistol pointed towards the second table.
Both bandits demanded their respective tables to empty their pockets and to throw their valuables on the poker tables. After having collected our goods, the short poker bandit had pointed his gun to the owner of the house and demanded the rest of the money.
** I only bring attention upon this fact to note that this was an inside job. These bandits had planned and were informed of our exact location, entries and exits, best time frames to rob us, and who the owner actually was. I have no doubt that these two bandits are merely the muscle (rather clumsy, incompetent morons) behind the mastermind who has orchestrated the seven notorious underground d-town robberies in the last 18 months.
I was initially reluctant to post this blog but thought that it would be important to do so in order to open up the dialogue about these robberies. Every bit of detail necessary to perform these aggravated events had to have originated from either a player, dealer, or friend of these underground rooms. This robbery was unique – in that it is a private home game via invite only. We are distraught, angry, and feel so utterly betrayed by those would put us in such a predicament.
If any of you have any pertinent, legitimate, reliable information on the identity of these bandits or who may be the traitorous mastermind, please email us at [email protected].
The story ends with the bandits running off with under 5,000. A few of our friends were able to get away and call the police whilst the robbery. They arrived only minutes after the bandits left.
DealerZach says:
October 20th, 2008 at 4:44pm
I wasn’t looking for goons to do the job, because there is no job, just need someone to buy the equipment
donkey says:
October 20th, 2008 at 4:52pm
Hi CedarVictims, we really feel for you, most of us have been there, and it’s a helpless feeling when someone is invading us by force. We are happy that everyone is alright.
On a lighter and goofy side, must have been a hella party with 30 poker players, “birthday party”…nice, I won’t tell the popo…lol.
DanM says:
October 20th, 2008 at 4:57pm
Indeed, thanks for sharing in such detail, CedarVictims …
tall black male, orange ski-mask, and a shotgun … similar to a robbery in May 2007: https://pokerati.com/2007/05/18/re-and-a-robbery-at-a-poker-room . Am trying to remember which room that one was.
Cedarvictims says:
October 20th, 2008 at 5:02pm
Thank you all for your comments.
I was also robbed in Main Event over a year ago.
Same two black guys I am most definitely sure as well.
My friend who was also robbed at Main Event was robbed at the Ashton and also confirmed same two black guys.
Its a shame that we no longer can feel safe playing cards amongst friends.
edbucks says:
October 20th, 2008 at 6:17pm
“The tall poker bandit (6′2″, definitely African American) in orange/reddish mask”
OJ?
“the short poker bandit (5′6″) masked in a faintly similar Scream Halloween mask”
“Carlton” from Fresh Prince?
Hey, I just cracked the case 🙂
Cedarvictims says:
October 20th, 2008 at 7:05pm
Hahaha! Good one!
🙂
douchebag
StruckMatch says:
October 20th, 2008 at 9:26pm
The taller lighter skin fella he look ah heck kinda likke that barack hussien obama and the smaller fella he remind me of that time danny niggeranu did that black prank and dress up as rastafarian.
These guys need to be locked up and found asap.
DanM says:
October 20th, 2008 at 10:16pm
FWIW, readers, SM writes in semi-anonymously from Queensland, Australia … meaning he’s either Australian, or attending the PokerNews Cup.
Tony G and John Caldwell are primary suspects.
Johnny Wannabe says:
October 23rd, 2008 at 8:34am
This is life, Johnny, not at story. Romanticize it all you want, but even “back in the day,” when people struggled with armed robbers, people frequently ended up dead.
With a string of robberies and an unsolved murder in our midst, here and now, in present time, in reality, it isn’t entertaining or charming for you to wax stupid about your fantasy version of the poker world of the old West; it is just more of your masterbatory drivel, and it is dismissive and disrespectful to all the real people living through it.