Poker fans looking for live poker action got more than they bargained for when they attended the European Poker Tournament event in Berlin this weekend. The poker tournament was the scene of an armed robbery, already dubbed the Berlin Poker Robbery, where $1 million was stolen from under the very noses of the organizers.
The EPT Berlin leg was being held in the Grand Hyatt Hotel on Saturday attracted nearly 1000 players who flocked to the European city to enter the 5 day tournament.
According to eye witnesses, at around 2.15 pm on Saturday, a mask gang burst into the hotel and prompted panic after they threatened security staff.
A police spokesperson said: “Several masked, armed individuals entered the Grand Hyatt and fled with a haul of money.”
While no specific sums were given, it generally believed that the gang headed to the $1 million being offered as prize pool in the competition. Staff were ordered to hand over the money under threat by the gang who wielded hand guns and a machete.
Chaotic scenes during the gang’s raid were broadcast live on TV as the poker tournament is considered a popular live poker event. Viewers saw their poker heroes hiding under tables and attempting to escape the gang, with furniture being overturned and heightened sense of panic in the ten minutes of the raid.
An earlier report said that the robbers had got away with the entire prize pool, however it was later reported that due to being tackled “very bravely” by a security guard, the group lost a bag that contained a significant amount of the money. Most of the prize, therefore, was left behind by the robbers.
Among the popular celebrities due to take place in the poker tournament was Boris Becker, who was eliminated before the robbery took place.
Due to the panic that ensued and the scuffles that took place, several people were lightly injured in the raid.
