With so many reports of bingo hall crime across the UK, it may seem like halls are being plagued by crime. How serious is the crime at these halls however, and do you really need to be concerned? While some players and halls have fallen victim to crime, others have managed to foil attempted robberies effectively, ensuring that players could enjoy their game without the threat of criminal influence.

Obviously, the best thing to do if you are in a crime situation is to stay calm and comply with any demands, however as these brave players have shown, occasionally standing up to the criminals can work too. Here are some examples of foiled bingo club crime robberies:

• Biker gang saves the day
When knife-wielding robbers tried to rob a hall in the US, they did not expect to be apprehended by a 50 member biker gang who were resting across the road at a local bar. The gang saw what was happening at the hall, and rushed in to save the day. The would-be robbers were faced with an entire gang of mean-looking bikers, who managed to capture one of the criminals and hog-tie him, then calling the police to come and collect him. Bingo players at the hall cheered as the police took away the apprehended robber.

• Bingo club janitor to the rescue
In another incident, a cleaner by the name of Lee Marison saved a young woman in a bingo robbery, and tackled the robber. The robber had taken the woman hostage after demanding money, and was holding her at knife point. Despite ordering Lee to get down on the floor, this brave janitor stood up to the robber, chasing him outside. He told reporters, “I was cleaning the tables in the hall and I heard a noise and turned around and saw him with his hand around her neck and a knife in his other hand. The poor girl was shouting ‘I don’t want to die’.” The robber was arrested, and sentenced to four years in jail.

• Bingo club gets tactical
A bingo hall that had been robbed one too many times decided to get tactical, keeping a ‘dummy’ money bag on hand to foil robbers. When the hall came under attack, the robbers fled with the fake money bag, which contained nothing more than Monopoly money!

Of course, the safest way to enjoy your games is to play bingo online – where you can stay safe and warm!