http://www.detnews.com/2004/business/0411/07/c01-327252.htm
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<!--deck-->Detroit casinos say some 'miraculously' leave without their canes and wheelchairs<!--/deck-->
<STORYTEXT><!--byline-->By Joel Smith / The Detroit News<!--/byline-->
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DETROIT - Sure, gamblers leave behind plenty of cash wagering in Detroit's three casinos, but dentures, wheelchairs and shoes?
Besides losing their proverbial shirts, gamblers also have forgotten such things as underwear, cell phones, coats, watches and religious objects in the city's casinos.
MGM Grand Detroit Casino has collected dozens of walking canes and walkers that customers somehow left behind. Some gamblers have strolled out without their wheelchairs.
"It's unbelievable the things people leave behind," said Dan Herrera, MGM's director of security. "They come in here needing a cane or walker or wheelchair and miraculously something happens here and they apparently can walk out without it.
"I don't know what it is. Sometimes we just shake our heads and wonder why. But we can't explain it."
Greektown Casino officials also are baffled at what gamblers leave behind. They've collected several pairs of shoes and some dentures. "People apparently slip out of their shoes while gambling and leave without them," said Brian Brown, a Greektown spokesman. "That's kind of odd. We can't figure out how somebody wouldn't realize they were leaving without their shoes on. But it happens."
Dentures are occasionally found sitting next to slot machines at Greektown. Brown said customers must take them out during a long session with the one-armed bandits and forget to put them back in.
The three casinos have collected hundreds of cell phones left by customers. They also have found jewelry, watches, sunglasses, prescription glasses and even a few pairs of underwear. Yes, underwear. "People take it off in the rest room and apparently don't put it back on," Herrera said.
The religious objects usually are found on top of slot machines, likely put there by gamblers hoping for divine intervention. Either they didn't win anything or the player simply forgot them while rushing to collect their winnings. An MGM employee even found a portable oxygen tank left behind.
The casinos log, tag and place the items in a locked lost-and-found room. Some of the items eventually are claimed - most aren't.
If the items are unclaimed for a couple of months, MGM donates them to a charity. In the case of cell phones, they give them to nonprofit organizations that need working cell phones that can be programmed only to contact the police for elderly individuals or battered women.
Sam Abrams, a MotorCity Casino spokesman, said they find all of the typical items in their casino, too. But he couldn't remember any unusual items.
"We're either a pretty boring place or we're so thorough, we make sure everybody takes out what they bring in," said Abrams, laughing.
Of course, he didn't mean money.
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<!--deck-->Detroit casinos say some 'miraculously' leave without their canes and wheelchairs<!--/deck-->
<STORYTEXT><!--byline-->By Joel Smith / The Detroit News<!--/byline-->
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DETROIT - Sure, gamblers leave behind plenty of cash wagering in Detroit's three casinos, but dentures, wheelchairs and shoes?
Besides losing their proverbial shirts, gamblers also have forgotten such things as underwear, cell phones, coats, watches and religious objects in the city's casinos.
MGM Grand Detroit Casino has collected dozens of walking canes and walkers that customers somehow left behind. Some gamblers have strolled out without their wheelchairs.
"It's unbelievable the things people leave behind," said Dan Herrera, MGM's director of security. "They come in here needing a cane or walker or wheelchair and miraculously something happens here and they apparently can walk out without it.
"I don't know what it is. Sometimes we just shake our heads and wonder why. But we can't explain it."
Greektown Casino officials also are baffled at what gamblers leave behind. They've collected several pairs of shoes and some dentures. "People apparently slip out of their shoes while gambling and leave without them," said Brian Brown, a Greektown spokesman. "That's kind of odd. We can't figure out how somebody wouldn't realize they were leaving without their shoes on. But it happens."
Dentures are occasionally found sitting next to slot machines at Greektown. Brown said customers must take them out during a long session with the one-armed bandits and forget to put them back in.
The three casinos have collected hundreds of cell phones left by customers. They also have found jewelry, watches, sunglasses, prescription glasses and even a few pairs of underwear. Yes, underwear. "People take it off in the rest room and apparently don't put it back on," Herrera said.
The religious objects usually are found on top of slot machines, likely put there by gamblers hoping for divine intervention. Either they didn't win anything or the player simply forgot them while rushing to collect their winnings. An MGM employee even found a portable oxygen tank left behind.
The casinos log, tag and place the items in a locked lost-and-found room. Some of the items eventually are claimed - most aren't.
If the items are unclaimed for a couple of months, MGM donates them to a charity. In the case of cell phones, they give them to nonprofit organizations that need working cell phones that can be programmed only to contact the police for elderly individuals or battered women.
Sam Abrams, a MotorCity Casino spokesman, said they find all of the typical items in their casino, too. But he couldn't remember any unusual items.
"We're either a pretty boring place or we're so thorough, we make sure everybody takes out what they bring in," said Abrams, laughing.
Of course, he didn't mean money.
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