Pair of hotel carjackings investigated

Jen Lawson

Wednesday, Sept. 8, 2004 | 11 a.m.

Carjackings occurred this morning at the Bellagio and the Hard Rock Hotel, Metro Police said.

The incidents apparently are unrelated, Sgt. Al Cervantes said.

Just after 1 a.m. two men approached a man, believed to be a tourist, in a parking lot at the Bellagio, police said.

One of them allegedly pointed a semi-automatic weapon at the victim and they both jumped into his gold Buick Rendezvous, a rental from Avis.

The suspects forced the victim to drive about five miles to a gas station at Warm Springs and Paradise roads, where they released him unharmed and drove off in the vehicle, Metro spokesman Jose Montoya said.

About four hours later, shortly before 5 a.m., a man pulled a knife on a woman walking to her car in the Hard Rock parking garage and stole her purse, car keys and her car, a dark green 1995 Cadillac coupe, Cervantes said. The woman was not hurt.

Robbery detectives are reviewing surveillance video from both hotels. As of 10:15 a.m. today, no arrests had been made in connection with the cases and the stolen vehicles hadn't been found.

Spokespersons for both resorts declined to comment and referred questions to police.

Cervantes said robberies occur at hotel-casinos "from time to time," adding that two in one day "is not uncommon, unfortunately."

The Buick stolen in the Bellagio incident had California license plates, 5GNU624. The Cadillac in the Hard Rock robbery had Nevada plates bearing number 740RZC.

Anyone with information on these robberies can call police at 229-3591 or Crime Stoppers at 385-5555.