Armed Robbery at Berlin Poker Tournament

[.Markus]

Armed robbers have stormed a luxury hotel in central Berlin where a poker tournament was taking place, German police say.

One report said the gang - armed with assault rifles and hand grenades - made off with the tournament jackpot of 800,000 euros ($1.1m; £726,000).Several people were injured in the ensuing panic, although none of them seriously.

About 1,000 poker players are taking part in the five-day tournament.

"Several masked, armed individuals entered the Grand Hyatt Hotel and fled with a haul of money," police spokeswoman Heidi Vogt said.She declined to say how much had been taken but Berlin's Tageszeitung newspaper reported on its website that the gang had taken 800,000 euros.

'Panic'

Participant Tobias Reinkemeier said there was panic when the robbers broke in. "They screamed 'armed robbery'," he said.

"We didn't know what was going on. Then there was panic and everyone jumped underneath tables before they tried to escape through the emergency exit."

The attack happened at about 1430 local time (1330GMT).

Four robbers entered from Potsdamer Platz while two others kept watch, Tageszeitung reported. Images of the chaotic scenes were broadcast by the private n-tv television station.

Officials said most of the injuries were caused by panic.

The tournament - organised by the European Poker Tour (EPT) - resumed about four hours after the attack, German media reported.

German news story

http://www.youtube.c...h?v=I6qJwbd75_g

Extended unedited video

Really scary from a personal point of view, as I work literally around the corner at Potsdamer Platz from this Grand Hyatt hotel.

Been a lot of emergency vehicles and commotion around Berlin this evening because of this..

[Andrew Lyle Global Moderator]

Crazy.. i have another video too:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QFn3XxRWcO0

[Growled Member]

They had all that money floating around and they didn't have any guards?

[Farstrider]

I wonder if anyone placed a bet on this happening?

[+Warwagon MVC]

Where's Jack Baur when you need him.

[.Markus]

They had all that money floating around and they didn't have any guards?

Trust me on this point, there's some hundred security personnel around for this poker event. However, normal security staff is not allowed any hand guns etc. under German gun laws.

The armed robbers entered the hotel with grenades and machine guns, not only machetes.

I'd say it's easier to flee than fight in such a circumstance...

[Singh400]

:o Holy crap...

[Growled Member]

Trust me on this point, there's some hundred security personnel around for this poker event. However, normal security staff is not allowed any hand guns etc. under German gun laws.

The armed robbers entered the hotel with grenades and machine guns, not only machetes.

I'd say it's easier to flee than fight in such a circumstance...

A guard without a gun is rather useless. Might as well have sexy women in miniskirts walking around. :p

[webeagle12]

A guard without a gun is rather useless. Might as well have sexy women in miniskirts walking around. :p

with this kind of money involved and in a big tournament like this , police should be there too

[BeerBro]

you see one security guard manning a guy down, while the other guards just watch on and continue talking on their cell phones... lol.

[Black Flash]

Seems like a miracle that no one ended up getting killed, surprising even. People who have the balls to pull something like this off, usually have no problem hurting anyone who gets in their way.

[bjoswald]

Can't help but think about Dead Rising 2 for some reason. But anyway, it's good to know nobody was hurt. Funny how the show went on afterward, but I guess that's the importance of gambling. ;)

[progh]

Good job.

[Motoko.]

For some reason the title reminded me of the movie "Run Lola Run"

[vladmphoto]

I would have taken a machine gun and gunned down each of them pilfering *******.......I would have been considered a hero! And don't even try and argue that they don't deserve to die, of course they do.......They put the lives of all those people in danger and probably caused each of them psychological trauma......

Oh wait......THIS ISN'T CALL OF DUTY :D

[vladmphoto]

I would have taken a machine gun and gunned down each of them pilfering *******.......I would have been considered a hero! And don\'t even try and argue that they don\'t deserve to die, of course they do.......They put the lives of all those people in danger and probably caused each of them psychological trauma......

Oh wait......THIS ISN\'T CALL OF DUTY :D

Okay I realize I was insensitive joking about that....I was really angry about what happened. And no they do not deserve to die, obviously. I just don\'t get how the German police was not guarding such a high profile tournament.