Berlin Poker Heist Planned by Arabs

(Berlin, Germany) All four of the masked and armed robbery suspects in the big-bucks poker tournament heist of March 6th have been arrested. A rival gang reportedly provided leads.



Poker Heist Suspects (3 of 4)
The suspects, all young, have been identified as Mustafa Ucarkus, 20, Jihad Chetwie, 19, Ahmad el-Awayti and a man known only as "Mohammed B."

The location of the €242,000 stolen during the high-stakes poker game at Berlin’s Grand Hyatt Hotel is still unclear, but there is now speculation that the four robbers did not plan the heist themselves, according to a report published Sunday by the Berliner Morgenpost.

The newspaper reported that an Arab family known to police masterminded the crime. Two members of the family reportedly stayed at the Grand Hyatt hotel shortly before the heist and were recorded on surveillance footage, though police refused to comment.

It appears there is little dispute that the heist was an organized crime operation. Now the Germans need to find out which Arab group is running the show. I'd suspect an Islamist connection, especially since one of the alleged robbers is named Jihad.