Casino Worker Arrested After Making Off Wth $10K Gambler Dropped On Floor

STATELINE, Nev. (AP) -- A Lake Tahoe casino employee has been arrested on suspicion of theft after police said he made off with a bundle of $100 bills totaling $10,000 that had been accidentally dropped by a gambler.

Douglas County sheriff's deputies say the gambler had won $70,000 and was walking to an elevator from the Harrah's Tahoe casino floor when he dropped the wad of cash early Wednesday.

Contract janitorial worker Richard Ferrer is accused of sweeping the money into a dustpan, then heading to the employee break room.

The Record-Courier newspaper of Gardnerville reports the entire incident was caught on tape and the suspect told security personnel he stashed the money in a garbage can, where all but $100 was recovered.

The 36-year-old Ferrer told deputies he intended to turn the money over to his supervisor at his next break except for $100, which he planned to keep to himself. That $100 was found under the same garbage can.

The policy for both the Stateline casino and the contractor calls for employees to turn such money over to security.