Atlantic County Prosecutor's Office
MAYS LANDING A Newark man has been charged in connection to a burglary of more than $1.7 million from an armored vehicle outside Bally's Casino on Nov. 5, Atlantic County Prosecutor Damon G. Tyner announced.
Dante J. McCluney has been charged with burglary, theft by unlawful taking or disposition and conspiracy to commit theft.
This was a brazen burglary of an armored car on a public street in broad daylight. Out of all the crimes I've seen committed in Atlantic County during my tenure, this incident harkened back to something out of the 1930s," Tyner said in a release. "Thankfully, we have a talented, hard working group of detectives who used old fashioned detective work to track down Dante McCluney, and then identify the other suspects. It should be noted that a substantial amount of the stolen cash has been recovered."
On Nov. 5 at 12:40 p.m., the Atlantic City Police Department responded to Bally's Casino for the reported theft of $1,760,000 from an armored vehicle owned by Rapid Armored Corporation (RAC). Video surveillance from Bally's revealed three male suspects accessed the armored vehicle and removed suspected bags of U.S. currency. The suspects then entered a gray Hyundai sedan and departed the area at approximately 12:15 p.m.
McCluney was previously employed by RAC as an armed guard where he worked the AC ATM run that serviced Bally's and become familiar with the run's timing and procedures.
Two RAC employees also identified McCluney from surveillance footage obtained from the Atlantic City Boardwalk just prior to the theft. McCluney and the two other males are observed on surveillance arriving near Bally's in a gray Hyundai, parking near the armored vehicle then exiting on foot. The three males remained on foot in the area of the armored vehicle until approximately 12:10 p.m., when they approached the vehicle and committed the theft.
The investigation is continuing into the apprehension of the other individuals involved in the burglary, Tyner said.
A detention hearing was held on Nov. 24 before Judge Donna Taylor and McCluney was detained and is being held at the Atlantic County Justice Facility. Chief Assistant Prosecutor John Flammer represents the state in the matter.
ACPO, the Atlantic City Police Department, Newark Police ESU, the Atlantic City Resident Office of the FBI and the Essex County Prosecutor's Office all participated in this cooperative investigation.
