A late-night trip to Live! Casino in South Philadelphia turned violent Friday when, according to police, a man was pistol-whipped outside the complex and robbed of both cash and his Rolex watch just before midnight. An unknown number of suspects allegedly jumped the victim, assaulted him and took off with his money and the luxury timepiece. Police have not released any details on the man’s condition or whether anyone has been arrested.
Reporting from CBS News Philadelphia notes that the attack happened right before midnight and involved multiple suspects who made off with the victim’s cash and watch. The outlet’s video from the scene shows officers working outside the casino but offers little else about where the investigation is headed.
Not the first robbery near Live! Casino
The stickup fits an unsettling pattern in the area around the casino. In June 2025, the South Philly Review reported that three men, two of them armed, held up people near the Live! Casino parking lot and escaped with about $2,500, a diamond necklace and a Rolex. Those earlier holdups underscored how thieves have been zeroing in on high-end watches and jewelry in the stadium district.
Citywide pattern of watch robberies
The Live! incidents are not happening in a vacuum. Citywide, police have been chasing a string of violent robberies where Rolex watches were the main prize, including a January case in which a man was shot and his Rolex taken, as reported by KYW Newsradio. Local coverage of late-night robbery clusters in South Philly shows groups of overnight holdups that detectives say they are keeping a close eye on.
Investigations and tips
After robberies like these, investigators routinely canvass surveillance cameras and nearby video systems as they piece together what happened. In similar Rolex-theft cases, police have also turned to the public for help. Authorities have previously urged anyone with information to contact the Philadelphia Police tipline at 215-686-TIPS (8477), according to local reporting from NBC10 Philadelphia.
