MANNA FROM HEAVEN

(401) (7-September-2006)

The strange tale of the billboard vault and how it rained money in Vegas

Police in Las Vegas were this week investigating a bizarre theft from an even more bizarre location - a giant Las Vegas billboard.

It all started with a bit of a billboard gamble by online sportsbook, Sportsbook.com which recently erected a billboard on the Strip in front of the Stardust Hotel. This was a billboard with a difference, however - it  included a transparent security box that contained $100 000 in one dollar bills with the slogan "Win This Cash Free, Only at Sportsbook.com". And just in case anyone missed it, a giant bright yellow arrow indicated the box of greenbacks, supported by the notice '$100 000 real cash - and real guards below!"

Unfortunately those real guards below were apparently not - at least not all of the time. One of the 24 hour security guards is reported to have taken a brief break in order to get refreshments and when he returned dollar bills were floating down from the billboard following a semi-successful attempt to steal the tempting billboard prize.

Thieves had somehow managed to access the box of bills, fortunately only managing to get away with $30 000 before presumably being disturbed.

In answer to the understandable speculation that it was all a publicity stunt, Sportsbook.com marketing director Alex Czajkowski indignantly protested: "This was not a stunt!  We were hit!"