Ex-Armored Truck Driver Accused of Stealing $113K Bound for Las Vegas Casinos

Las Vegas police allege that Regina Valenzuela, a former armored truck driver, stole nearly $113,000 while transporting funds destined for Dotty’s casinos.

According to police records, Valenzuela’s former employer, Sectran Security — a company that picks up and transports money — reported “an embezzlement issue” allegedly involving Valenzuela.

On May 31, she allegedly “parked at a gas station and disabled [her] truck’s internal surveillance for 8 minutes,” police said, adding she also “[moved] money” into “her unmarked sedan.”

According to the police, a GPS audit revealed that Valenzuela missed several scheduled stops on that day. Another employee called the police, but the alleged thief called out of work, citing a family issue.

She showed up to work the next day. When her employer confronted her about the incident, she denied involvement. Valenzuela then allegedly disconnected her phone, and police found her after an anonymous tip.

Police did not find evidence of the money in her bank accounts. She was arrested on September 29 but was immediately released without having to post any bail. Las Vegas Justice Court Judge Nadia Wood has scheduled a hearing for October 30.

Armored Truck Heists: A Vegas Pattern

The Dotty’s case is not the first time Las Vegas has seen large amounts of cash vanish during armored transport.

• In 1993, Heather Tallchief drove away with around $3 million in cash meant for Circus Circus. She remained a fugitive for over a decade before surrendering in 2005.
• In the mid-2000s, a California crew carried out four armored truck robberies in the Las Vegas Valley, stealing more than $187,000. Their spree ended when investigators pieced the cases together with a crucial clue.
• Earlier this year, Devonte Jackson allegedly robbed an armored truck outside a Las Vegas bank using a handgun. He escaped with more than $300,000 before authorities arrested him in Texas.

These cases highlight that armored-car robberies are not Hollywood fiction. An armored-car heist typically involves employees who are familiar with the routes and scheduled pick-up times.

Casino Heists & Insider Threats

Beyond armored trucks, Las Vegas casinos themselves have fallen victim to heists.

• Criminals have robbed the Bellagio multiple times. That includes a 2010 case where a motorcycle-helmeted robber took off with $1.5 million in chips from the craps tables. After that theft, the casino phased out the high-value $25,000 chips.
• In 2023, Caleb Rogers, a Las Vegas police officer, received a 12-year sentence in federal prison for robbing three casinos of about $165,000. In one robbery, prosecutors said Rogers pulled his department-issued handgun on a security guard before being tackled.
• Also in 2023, Erik Gutierrez was arrested for pretending to be Circa Casino owner Derek Stevens. On four occasions, he met with a casino cage supervisor who mistakenly identified Gutierrez as Stevens and gave him over $1.1 million.
• In 2024, police arrested Rosa Barria for her alleged involvement in a $750,000 theft using social engineering tactics from Sam’s Town Hotel and Gambling Hall.
• While not a physical robbery, in 2023, MGM Resorts and Caesars Entertainment suffered high-profile cyberattacks. The perpetrators allegedly tricked IT help desk employees into resetting credentials. Caesars reportedly paid tens of millions of dollars in ransom to protect customer data. Meanwhile, MGM endured a multiday system shutdown that cost the company more than $100 million.

These incidents reflect a consistent pattern: whether the threat comes from armed outsiders or insiders exploiting trust, Las Vegas casinos and the armored trucks serving them are tempting targets for criminals chasing fast cash.