Suspect in Bigfork armed robbery still at-large
The Flathead County Sheriff’s Office is still on the hunt for the female suspect who robbed the Jackpot Casino in Bigfork at gunpoint Tuesday morning.
The casino manager reported the robbery to the Sheriff’s Office at 9:26 a.m. after a woman reportedly pulled a gun on her and asked for the manager’s apron, which contained keys to the store and Golden Gaming gambling machines. During the incident, the robber allegedly raised her eyebrow at the casino manager and gave her a look that said, “don’t make me do this,” according to dispatch logs. The suspect was wearing a face mask, a black puffy jacket and a black beanie with a squiggly design around the band. She was described as between 5’2” and 5’6” in height with a heavy-set build. She was believed to have exited the building on foot, and possibly left the area in a vehicle.
“When we canvassed the area, we got other reports that there was a vehicle possibly leaving,” Flathead County Sheriff Brian Heino told the Daily Inter Lake Thursday.
Law enforcement was dispatched to the scene, where they set up a perimeter and searched the area with assistance from a Two Bear Air helicopter. Responders used heat-sensing technology to search for the subject from the air and concentrated their efforts in the wooded area north of the casino. Reports of an individual matching the suspects description led responders to Marina Cay Resort, but that person turned out not to be a match.
In the wake of the incident, the Sheriff’s Office posted photos and information about the subject on social media, which has since resulted in a number of tips from the public.
“We’ve got a lot of good information coming in from the public, which we greatly appreciate. Now we’re tasked with following up on those,” Heino said. “There’s two or three more tips right now that look promising.”
The casino robbery is the first in a trio of thefts that transpired this week. Also on Tuesday morning, the Dam Town Tavern in Hungry Horse was robbed by a thin man wearing a ski mask and all black clothing. At approximately 1:30 a.m., the man reportedly sprayed bear spray at a female bartender and stole a wood box containing about $4,000 in cash. And over the weekend, two females are believed to have robbed a Whitefish business on the 600 block of U.S. 93, Heino said.
The sheriff explained that an uptick in robberies during the fall season is not uncommon, and is possibly in relation to the upcoming Christmas holiday.
The Sheriff’s Office is asking anyone with information about the casino robbery to email tips@flathead.mt.gov. If members of the public see the individual in question or know their current whereabouts, call 911.