As a former casino security officer, I take a greater concern than some with people keeping themselves safe while on vacation at a casino resort. Often, carelessness and lack of vigilance can lead to burglaries or worse. Since most crimes committed in casinos are crimes of opportunity, you can be proactive and prevent most, but not all of them.
Take, for example, one of the most common hotel crimes: burglary of a hotel room whose door was left slightly ajar. This happens quite often, because people often assume that the door closes behind them. It is, indeed, designed to do that, but air pressure often keeps it from fully closing, so it remains unlocked. There are teams of “push door thieves” who work the Strip, simply walking down corridors and pushing on doors. If one opens, they enter and steal what they can.
I don’t know anything about how this high-profile attempted burglary happened, but it sounds a great deal like a push door operation. From the LVRJ:
An intruder who entered a Las Vegas penthouse suite while "General Hospital" star Kelly Monaco was sleeping was quickly apprehended by police, a source said.
Monaco, who won the first season of "Dancing With the Stars" and co-stars with Spice Girl Mel B in "Peepshow" at Planet Hollywood Resort, was asleep but then heard someone rummaging in her living room area at the hotel.
NORM: Actress suffers unwanted visitor – News – ReviewJournal.com.
This isn’t the first time something like this has happened at the property. Back in 2003, when it was the Aladdin, there was a spate of similar burglaries during the 2003 Radio Music Awards:
Some Las Vegas thief hit the jackpot last night, swiping $1.2 million in jewelry from the hotel room of the rap star Nelly, who was in Sin City performing at an awards show. The burglar also boosted $4500 in cash and electronics equipment from the Aladdin Hotel room of pop singer Michelle Branch, also in town for the 2003 Radio Music Awards. Police said the two rooms, located a floor apart, appeared randomly selected by the crook.
The Smoking Gun: Archive
Again, not knowing exactly what happened, it’s impossible to say, but this could be a standard push door burglary. And it can happen to you.
So next time you stay in any hotel, make absolutely sure the door is locked when you leave. Pull it closed behind you and throw the deadbolt when you’re in it. These are two small things that take only seconds but can save you a great deal of grief.