Buzz Bingo Player Robbed of Her Winnings

Buzz Bingo Cash Winner Targeted

There’s no better feeling than shouting “house” and collecting your winnings, but for one elderly woman, her win was about to turn into a terrifying ordeal. Just last week I visited my favourite bingo venue and managed to win the princely sum of £1,000 but found myself worrying about the win before I had even collected the cash.

As with all bingo venues, when you win you either get your cash in an envelope handed to you at your table or you have to visit the cash desk at the end of the evening. Other players then recognise who the winners are and exactly how much they’ve won. I was stood in a queue with roughly 30 other people who were all watching those notes being counted. Naturally I zipped up my bag and held onto it for dear life as I went to my car.

Bingo Thrills to Bingo Trauma

Ann Gibson, a 69-year-old from Scotland was happily enjoying games of bingo recently when she found herself winning some cash. The lucky lady was ‘identified’ as a winner and was later robbed of her winnings. The 69-year old and her almost 80-year old friend had collected their winnings from the Buzz Bingo cash desk before heading to their car. It’s not unusual to have cars parked up outside, so when Ann noticed a small blue car next to hers she automatically assumed they were waiting to pick somebody up.

Opening the back of her car, the bingo winner popped her handbag onto the seat before closing the door and getting into the driver’s seat. In a blink of an eye, the occupant of the car next to her had leaped into the back of her car and made off with her bag! Speaking to local press the unfortunate winner vowed never to go back to bingo.

It’s estimated £315 was stolen along with bank cards which have been stopped and a mobile phone. Ann failed to see the thief but her friend got a good look at the culprit. The pair called the police instantly but she said “they were too busy to come. They phoned me back saying it might be two or three hours before they could get to me and asked if I wanted to just go home and they could see me at home.”

Shortly after the incident Ann’s sister received a call from a woman who said she had found a mobile phone in a park close to the Buzz Bingo venue. That mobile phone belonged to the bingo winner. Police are now looking for a woman with long blonde hair and a small blue car.

Ann said in a local interview: “I’m not going back to bingo again, I never thought I would feel like this. The effect it has on you, you know? We were regulars. We went every week,” and she even has a way of this never happening again: “Maybe bingo should think about some sort of bank transfer instead of handing over cash like that as well.” I agree Ann!

Source: “Edinburgh Woman Has More Than £300 of Bingo Winnings Stolen From Her Car as She Came Home”. Edinburgh Live. July 28, 2022.