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EPT Berlin Heist Update: Suspect Arrested, Released

Police in Berlin have arrested — and subsequently released — a suspect in last week’s armed robbery of the Grand Hyatt Hotel during the main event of the European Poker Tour stop.

Last Saturday, four men with masks, armed with guns and machetes, robbed the hotel in broad daylight. No one was seriously injured in the heist, but the robbers did get away with more than $300,000.

The suspect who was detained was released due to lack of evidence, according to the Berlin police.

Despite video and pictures of the robbery, authorities have had little success in identifying the culprits in the week after the incident. The case appeared this week on Germany’s version of “America’s Most Wanted,” a show called “Aktenzeichen XY Ungelöst.” Authorities are still looking for any leads that can lead to the capture of the robbers.

In related news, eventual EPT Berlin winner Kevin MacPhee said he did not want to continue play after the robbery, in an interview with pokerlistings.com. The tournament was delayed for several hours but eventually continued the same day and played down to a final table. Here’s what MacPhee said in the wake of the robbery:

“I think it’s completely irresponsible to start playing again. This is the most important moment in my poker career. We’re playing for €1 million here, and you think, after a raid like this, you just sit back at the table and play? After an incident like this, everybody should get some time to sleep over this and to calm down. Tell me, how many people are expected to get back to work the same day they were held at gunpoint? Is there any other job in the world where you would do that?”

We’ll have more on the investigation into the heist as events warrant.

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