JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Internet cafes are seemingly a bull’s-eye for bad guys.
Local sources began investigating why internet cafes are frequently targeted after a chaotic crime spree on Wednesday. According to police, an armed man robbed the Lucky Charms Arcade, an internet cafe on Mayport Road.
This isn’t the first time the business has been robbed. Regular patrons suggest it’s an easy target.
“(I come) to get money — like everyone else,” said Ivory Washington, a customer at Lucky Charms Arcade.
Customers say money is the primary draw at internet cafes. James Natale, another customer, estimated the daily cash flow at Lucky Charms Arcade.
“From my pocket, a lot,” Natale said. “As far as other people, I’m sure a lot, too. I’d say probably a couple thousand, maybe.”
This might explain why Lucky Charms Arcade has been robbed twice in about two months. Police are still searching for the man who allegedly robbed the location in November.
On Nov. 1, according to the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office, a man entered the Lucky Charms Arcade, sat at a gaming table, and when an employee was distracted, he showed a handgun and demanded money. After receiving the money, the man fled.
Wednesday’s robbery was far more serious.
After robbing the internet cafe at gunpoint just after 2 p.m. on Wednesday, the suspect abducted an elderly man to use his SUV as a getaway vehicle, struck two police officers—one on foot and another in his cruiser—and then crashed into a concrete pole, according to JSO.
An employee at Lucky Charms Arcade said, “I’ve been asked not to talk to you guys so I have to respect that.” Management could not be reached by phone.
Washington noted why internet gaming businesses might be crime targets.
“People watch as they go by and see exactly what everybody else is spending,” she said.
According to the American Gaming Association, Floridians spend more than $1 billion a year at internet sweepstakes cafes, with over 1,000 locations statewide.
Greg DiFranza, a retired Jacksonville sheriff’s officer, explained the risk.
“That particular business, that type of business, deals with large sums of money all the time and they are very busy all the time, so you have more of an occasion to have the threat of more money there for the effort, so to speak,” DiFranza said.
News4Jax has reported numerous crimes at local game rooms in recent years. A month ago, a security guard shot and wounded a suspected robber at a 103rd Street game room. In March, a security guard at a Beach Boulevard sweepstakes shot and killed two robbers, with police arresting a third man.
Lucky Charms Arcade patrons mentioned that the location has security but lacks a guard.
“I’m not quite sure why they don’t at this moment,” Washington said.
Nearby businesses, such as True Till Death Tattoos and Records, echoed this concern.
“I don’t know what that business attracts, really,” said Bo Dillard, a tattoo artist who works nearby. “Maybe I should look into it.”
Local leaders have debated the legality of gaming centers for years. At times, they’ve shut them down, but recently, they’ve been reopening across the area. Currently, 94 internet cafes are allowed to operate in Jacksonville.
Interactive map of permitted adult arcades in Jacksonville
Zoom into your neighborhood to find the nearest gaming businesses.
