A housekeeper at a prominent Las Vegas Strip resort has been arrested and charged with theft and burglary after allegedly stealing large sums of money and personal items from hotel rooms. Maria Menendez Betancourt, who worked at the Palazzo Tower at the Venetian Resort Las Vegas, is accused of carrying out a series of burglaries in June.
According to police documents, a guest reported that her room was burglarized and over $8,000 was missing in early June. An investigation by hotel staff identified Menendez Betancourt as a suspect, and a review of the room’s lock revealed that she had entered the room while the guest was away. Notably, Menendez Betancourt was not assigned to that floor and had no legitimate reason to be there.
Later that month, hotel security detained Menendez Betancourt after she was caught on video entering the property and accessing guest rooms using a key fob. Surveillance footage showed her entering multiple rooms on multiple floors without any cleaning cart or equipment, and a hotel guest later reported that $110,000 in cash and checks had gone missing.
Police alleged that Menendez Betancourt concealed the stolen items in white bath towels and then left the room and the property. When she was taken into custody on June 18, officers noticed that she was wearing a gold bracelet that had been reported stolen in an earlier incident.
Menendez Betancourt was rearrested on July 12 on new charges and is currently facing three active cases in Las Vegas Justice Court. She has posted bond and been ordered to stay away from the Strip. The Venetian Resort Las Vegas has declined to comment on the matter.
