HAMLET — Multiple illegal gambling machines were seized from a home early Tuesday morning after police served a search warrant.
The investigation started several months back when police responded to a report of an armed robbery at 802 Beeler Ave., according to Capt. Randy Dover.
Dover said the alleged victims told investigators they were operating a home-based business. However, when one of the alleged victims was showing cellphone video to an officer, that officer noticed a gambling machine in the background.
After that, according to Dover, the alleged victims stopped cooperating in the robbery investigation.
He said the department consulted with N.C. Alcohol Law Enforcement just before Christmas, in preparation for the raid.
The search warrant was served around 5:30 a.m. and police found four illegal gambling machines, Dover said.
Two of them were stand-up machines and the other two were gaming tables that could seat multiple players, according to Dover.
He said officers seized the two stand-up machines and the mother boards from the gaming tables, along with surveillance equipment and $2,375 in cash.
Dover said the investigation is ongoing and multiple gambling citations have been issued, but more charges may be pending.
All defendants facing criminal charges are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
