More Vegas prostitutes robbing clients

LAS VEGAS, Nov. 4 (UPI) -- Instances of prostitutes robbing their clients are on the rise in Las Vegas, police officials say.

Las Vegas Metro police say they have assigned two detectives to the "trick roll" beat as statistics indicate Clark County "johns" have reported being robbed of $1.4 million in cash and goods so far this year, a pace almost double last year's total, the Las Vegas Sun reported Wednesday.

Metro Sgt. Donald Hoier said that while the tough economy might have something to do with it, robberies were picking up before the economy soured, which he blamed on the Las Vegas market being saturated with sex workers, setting off a scramble for a limited pool of money, the newspaper said.

Hoier told the Sun that some of the theft reports included $30,000 in cash and casino chips; a $20,000 Rolex watch; and in one case, a staggering $175,000 in casino chips.

Police reportedly warn that some prostitutes only use sex as a pretext for theft and have no intention of sleeping with men who hire them. Some use mirrors to watch as clients punch numbers into their hotel room safes.