Dude was targeting suites near the elevator, which had double doors. Apparently those were vulnerable to being opened with a flathead screwdriver (not sure how), even if the deadbolt was on. I'm not sure if the victims had the latch on.
All of the victims were in the room sleeping while the burglaries, which typically occurred between 3:00-4:30am. The accused perpetrator, Robert Black, would only steal cash in the rooms. He would not take electronic devices, jewelry, or credit cards.
He was arrested when Paris security set up a "bait room" (not a master-bait room), which was full of hidden cameras and a wallet with $600. They did this in the exact type of suite he was burglarizing. Sure enough, Black showed up, and security entered to detain him. He attempted to fight them off but was unsuccessful.
The burglaries had been going on for the past two months. As the arrest occurred on June 2, it's not clear if he did this during the very beginning of WSOP (aside from the bait room), since the WSOP began on May 30. I'm guessing that was his first shot during WSOP days.
Poker players are a little bit rattled that a flathead screwdriver was able to get through the lock system at Paris.
It is important to lock up valuables in the room safe while sleeping, for exactly this reason. I sometimes felt like a fool doing so, but this shows I was making the right decision. Most room burglars are not looking to physically harm people, and in fact run when confronted.
https://news3lv.com/news/local/bait-...n-nevada-crime