An employee assigned to clean rooms at the upscale Palazzo Tower at the Venetian Resort Las Vegas reportedly cleaned up in another way. She’s accused of swiping more than $110K and other valuable items from guest rooms.
Palazzo Tower at the Venetian Resort Las Vegas, pictured above. A housekeeper stole cash and valuables from guest rooms at the property, police said. (Image: Booking.com)
Housekeeper Maria Menendez Betancourt has been charged with burglary and theft charges. She has three pending cases in local court.
The repeated thefts took place in June at the Las Vegas Strip luxury property. Menendez Betancourt allegedly entered the rooms when she was off duty.
In one incident, more than $8K was stolen from a guest room, according to the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department (LVMPD). Menendez Betancourt was named a suspect after hotel security guards investigated the theft. She allegedly went into the room when no one was there. Guards discovered she wasn’t assigned to work on that floor.
Used Key Fob
Later in June, Menendez Betancourt allegedly used a key fob to enter several guest rooms. It’s typically a high-tech device that opens a door without using a key.
Over about 90 minutes, Menendez Betancourt was captured on surveillance cameras “entering multiple rooms on multiple floors,” according to Las Vegas TV station KLAS, citing a LVMPD report.
She didn’t have a housekeeping cart with her, so she wasn’t cleaning the rooms.
She later was apprehended for allegedly stealing more than $110K in cash and checks, as well as other items from a room occupied by an unnamed male guest.
Menendez Betancourt discovered these items and concealed them in white bath towels [she] found in the room,” according to the LVMPD arrest report.
Wearing Stolen Bracelet
LVMPD officers arrested her on June 18. At the time of her apprehension, she was wearing a gold bracelet that had been reported stolen from a guest room.
As the LVMPD continued to investigate thefts from hotel rooms, Menendez Betancourt was arrested on additional charges on July 12.
The cases against Menendez Betancourt are currently pending in Las Vegas Justice Court. After her arrest, she apparently no longer works at the hotel. It wasn’t clear if more charges could be filed against her or what are the precise number of thefts at the hotel tower.
Menendez Betancourt has posted bond. She was told to stay away from the Las Vegas Strip as a condition of her release.
She apparently has yet to enter pleas on the three cases. If convicted on the charges, she could face a prison sentence.
It’s also unclear if the missing items, other than the gold chain, have been recovered.
The Palazzo Tower is made up of multiple suites. They measure at least 700 square feet. Many are much larger.
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