Bandit Pensioners will have to resort to other more ‘wholesome’ activities now

It seems that pensioners are naughtier than we thought. Either that or the Idaho police department are really bored. A group of pensioners were recently targeted for illegal poker games in the American state.

After receiving an anonymous tip-off that pensioners were engaging in the illegal activity of playing poker, Idaho Police started monitoring the activities of the Twin Falls Senior Centre where pensioners were meeting to play every week.

The police proceeded to raid the Senior Centre during a poker game, where about 20 pensioners were playing for a buy in of $20. Idaho law enforcement does not tolerate cash gambling of any kind, and it seems this includes friendly poker games played by pensioners in senior centres.

The group of pensioners, who all made regular donations to the centre, said they were unaware of breaking any laws. They have now started to play without wagering any cash

88-year-old Doris Williams, a regular player told the Times-News newspaper, “(we’ve) been playing the legal way without money since the police visit but it isn’t as much fun.”

You are never too old to enjoy a game of poker, certainly if you are a poker playing Granny and live in Southern Cyprus. The down side is that you might just find yourself  banged up in a police cell. Forty-two elderly women found themselves on the wrong side of Greek Cypriot law after a private poker and gin rummy session round one of their  houses resulted in the group being taken off to jail en masse and booked, before being released.

The arrests took place on Sunday after neighbors starting complaining about the noise of the women’s movements to and from the house. On arriving at the private home,  police found several rooms containing poker tables, chips, playing cards and approximately €100 in cash.

The women were aged between seventy-five and ninety-five, and one of the ladies, said on the event “It is unbelievable that people would even complain about such a game. If  police around the world start busting up gin rummy games, there are going to be a lot of elderly people heading to jail.” I’m just curious to know the overcrowding situation of  the Cyprus gaol system before they start sending senior citizens to face a penal colony

As one lady, who just happens to be 87 said, “Most of my friends are widows and at our age there is not much to do. For years now we organize afternoon tea parties at our houses each week, on a rotating basis. We get together, drink tea and play cards. We only gamble a few Euros and it’s all just for fun. The only thing police achieve by doing such raids is to ridicule women of a certain age.”

The women have been charged with illegal gambling and will have to appear in court at a later date. Although they could face jail they are more likely to receive a small fine instead.

I’m definitely not retiring to Cyprus. (Ed)

            The Face of Crime