He Stole the Keys to Millions. His Next Mistake? Coming Back: ‘Secret Life of a Vegas Casino’ Ep. 5

^{A Golden Nugget employee removes a casino chip tray as staff scramble to secure millions of dollars in chips following the theft of the casino’s master keys in Discovery’s “Secret Life of a Vegas Casino.” (Screenshot: Discovery)}

LAS VEGAS – Last week, the Golden Nugget survived Friday the 13th, strip club tacos and a graveyard shift from hell.

This week, someone steals the keys to millions of dollars in casino chips, the famous Shark Tank shuts down, and Elvis is apparently too busy being Elvis to show up to a wedding. Meanwhile, a pair of newlyweds nearly get evicted for partying a little too hard.

Welcome back to “Secret Life of a Vegas Casino,” where even the sharks are having a rough week.

McLovin Will Tattoo His Girlfriend's Face on His Back, But Won't Buy a Ring

We kick things off with Golden Nugget security officer McLovin, who's getting absolutely roasted by his coworkers over his relationship.

He's been with his girlfriend for five years. They met when she was his manager at a candy store, where he somehow managed to get promoted after working there for about a month. Turns out, his girlfriend was the reason he got that promotion in the first place. So he's been benefiting from this relationship since day one, but five years later, she's still waiting on a ring.

When another employee reveals he spent around $12,000 on his wife's engagement ring, McLovin is horrified. He loves his girlfriend, sure, but apparently not $12,000 worth.

Fair enough. Rings are expensive. Except his coworkers are quick to point out he's already spent roughly $10,000 on tattoos, with another $3,000 discussed for his back. And what exactly is going on his back? A portrait of his girlfriend.

McLovin, babe. You are willing to permanently put this woman's face on your body, but jewelry is where you suddenly become financially responsible? At least if they break up, she can sell the ring. You're going to need a very talented tattoo artist.

The Sharks Have Left the Building

Meanwhile, Golden Nugget wedding services manager Patty Beck has four weddings to pull off, including a massive 250-person celebration and a couple who traveled from Detroit specifically to get married near sharks.

Unfortunately, the sharks have other plans.

During a routine patrol, a security officer notices a concerning vertical line running down the glass of the Golden Nugget's famous Shark Tank. The immediate fear is that the glass could fail, which would be unfortunate for everyone involved, especially the people swimming on the other side.

Thankfully, engineers determine it isn't a crack. A seam between two glass panels has started separating, and while there are no leaks or immediate safety concerns, repairs are needed. The pool can reopen, but the aquarium's residents need temporary accommodations.

Casinos.com previously covered the Shark Tank's closure, which left the property's iconic attraction without its usual underwater residents.

And that brings us to Rhonda and Ben. The couple flew in from Detroit with one very specific wedding dream: pictures in front of the sharks. Instead, they arrive to discover the sharks have essentially moved out.

I'd be upset, too. If I wanted regular wedding pictures, I'd get married somewhere with a normal swimming pool.

But Patty isn't about to let a few dozen displaced sea creatures ruin someone's big day. She arranges for the couple to visit the aquarium's behind-the-scenes holding area, where they get to feed sharks and stingrays with the life sciences team.

Naturally, the employees start cracking jokes about the Golden Nugget's mob history and what exactly is being kept in the basement. Because being escorted into the basement of an old Vegas casino to meet a bunch of sharks sounds completely normal and not at all like the last thing someone does in a mob movie.

Luckily, Rhonda and Ben are thrilled. They get a private experience most guests never see, plus a backup photo session at Chart House surrounded by tropical fish. The original plan might've fallen apart, but Patty somehow managed to turn a wedding disaster into a pretty solid upgrade.

Someone Just Stole the Keys to Millions of Dollars

Elsewhere in the casino, security has a problem. And by problem, I mean someone has stolen the master keys to the casino's chip trays.

Yes, THOSE keys. The ones that can unlock trays containing millions of dollars in casino chips.

Apparently, a pit boss left them unattended near a gaming table, and investigator William is tasked with figuring out where they went. After reviewing surveillance footage, he spots a man casually picking up the keys and making his way out of the casino. Interestingly, there's a cellphone sitting right next to them, but the suspect doesn't touch it. One investigator points out that phones can be tracked, suggesting our mystery thief might actually know what he's doing. Great. Love that for the casino.

The problem is that these aren't just any keys. They can unlock chip trays throughout the property, and security has no way of knowing whether the suspect has already made copies or passed them to someone else. Until the locks can be replaced, staff have to take extra precautions every time the gaming tables close, including physically removing and securing the chip trays.

Management estimates the whole ordeal will cost around $20,000 to rekey everything. All because someone left the keys to the casino lying around. I'd be afraid to misplace my employee badge after this.

Security issues a BOLO, or “be on the lookout,” alert and starts watching for the suspect. Apparently, nobody told him that returning to the scene of the crime is generally considered a bad idea, because he comes strolling back through the Golden Nugget wearing a white shirt and red hat.

William spots him and heads over to make contact, but the man slips off the property and makes his way toward the neighboring Plaza. Once he's inside another casino, William can't question him, so he calls Plaza security and gives them the suspect's description.

For now, the guy gets away. But considering he voluntarily returned to the casino that caught him on camera, I'm not convinced we're dealing with a criminal mastermind.

Patty Beck Is One Missing Elvis Away From Losing It

Back in the wedding department, Patty's stress level isn't getting any better.

One of her weddings has 250 guests, many traveling from Japan, and the audio equipment isn't cooperating. Some of the gear is coming from overseas, and the team can't get it connected properly with the hotel's system. After scrambling to find the right adapters and equipment, they finally get the sound working just in time.

Crisis avoided. Except now Elvis is missing.

One couple has hired Brendan Paul, a well-known Las Vegas Elvis impersonator, to officiate their ceremony. The only problem is that he's running late, and Patty can't get him to answer her texts. Imagine spending months planning your wedding only to get stood up by a man dressed as a dead rock star.

Patty's running around trying to track down the King while the bride and her guests are waiting. Eventually, Elvis makes his grand entrance, and the ceremony goes ahead. He even manages to mention that he was once arrested in California while chatting with the couple. Exactly the kind of reassuring small talk you want from your wedding officiant.

The larger wedding also goes off without a hitch, with 250 guests dancing the night away alongside a giant gorilla. Why was there a gorilla? I have no idea, but this is Las Vegas, and frankly, it's one of the less surprising things we've seen this season.

There's a reason Vegas weddings have become their own genre of entertainment.

Grandma and Grandpa Know How to Party

While Patty is busy saving weddings, security gets called to a room in the Spa Tower over complaints of loud partying, vomit in the hallway and approximately 15 people crammed into a room that only allows six.

Naturally, the security team assumes they're about to walk into a bunch of college kids having the kind of weekend their parents definitely don't know about.

Instead, they find an elderly couple celebrating their wedding.

And these two have apparently been PARTYING.

The security manager explains that having 15 people in the room violates the hotel's guest agreement and would normally result in eviction. The newlyweds are understandably upset, especially considering their wedding night is about to end with an invitation to pack their bags and find somewhere else to sleep.

But after meeting the couple, including a groom who's clearly enjoyed a few celebratory beverages, the manager has a change of heart. He decides to let them stay, provided there are no more noise complaints or disturbances.

The couple is grateful, and honestly, good for them. If you've made it to that age and still have enough energy to throw a hotel-room party that requires multiple security officers, I think you've earned a little grace.

Unfortunately, someone still has to deal with the vomit in the hallway. One employee even steps in it, which feels like an appropriate reminder that not everybody gets a happily-ever-after in Vegas.

The Key Thief Gets a Very Expensive Surprise

Remember our friend with the red hat? Turns out William's phone call to Plaza security paid off.

The suspect was reportedly caught tampering with equipment at the neighboring casino, and Metro took him into custody. When police searched his pockets, they discovered the Golden Nugget's missing keys.

Back at the casino, William gets called into a meeting where his bosses reveal the good news. Although he didn't physically catch the suspect, his decision to contact Plaza helped lead to the arrest, and he's pretty pleased to learn that his investigation actually worked out.

As he should be. The man managed to help catch a thief without leaving his jurisdiction, which is more than I can say for the suspect's understanding of how surveillance cameras work.

Unfortunately, getting the keys back doesn't undo the damage. The Golden Nugget still has to spend around $20,000 replacing the locks because there's no way to know whether copies were made. But considering management estimates roughly $2 million in casino chips could have been at risk, they're calling it a win.

Twenty grand is an expensive lesson, but it's a lot cheaper than discovering someone's emptied the chip trays overnight.

And to the guy who stole the keys, left the casino and then decided to come BACK? I hope the sequel was worth it.

Four Weddings, One Arrest and a Whole Lot of Fish

By the end of the episode, Patty has somehow pulled off her weddings, Rhonda and Ben have their fish-filled photos, Elvis finally remembered he had somewhere to be, and the Golden Nugget has its master keys back.

The elderly newlyweds also get to finish celebrating without having to find another hotel. Hopefully somebody has since cleaned the hallway.

And McLovin? Still no engagement ring, as far as we know, although his girlfriend might want to reconsider letting him make any more financial decisions.

Between the missing sharks, missing keys and missing Elvis, it's a miracle anything showed up where it was supposed to.

See you next week. And somebody please buy McLovin's girlfriend a ring.

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