Police Raid Game Distributor, Say Machines Were Fixed

An El Cajon man was arrested Tuesday on suspicion that he electronically rigged 38 crane-type game machines to reduce the player’s chance of winning, a violation of state gaming laws.

Paul R. Harmeier, 35, was allegedly grossing $3,000 a day from the illegal operation for an undetermined period of time, San Diego Police Sgt. L.D. Martin said.

“On the surface, this might seem to be a minor problem, but it’s grand theft on a large scale” considering the estimated annual gross of nearly $1.1 million, Martin said.

Martin compared the alleged scam to similar ones allegedly conducted by traveling fairs and carnivals, which are notorious for running rigged games of chance.

Harmeier, manager and operator of San Diego Toy Company in the 1100 block of Pioneer Way in El Cajon, was being held in the County Jail on suspicion of grand theft, conspiracy, fraudulently obtaining money by a hidden mechanical device and possession of slot machines. His bail was set at $6,000 and his arraignment scheduled for Thursday.

A three-week police undercover investigation focused on “Sugarloaf crane” game machines, in which a player pays 50 cents for 15 seconds to try to pick up a prize with a small crane or claw-type device.

Harmeier allegedly used electronic devices to reduce the claw’s gripping power, making it more difficult for the player to win a prize, Martin said.

Police on Tuesday raided the game-machine distribution company and seized $6,000 in cash, two game machines, 253 boxes of stuffed animals and other prizes and several of the electronic devices in question, Martin said.

Authorities also seized game machines distributed by Harmeier’s company to 38 area restaurants, bars, clubs and other establishments. The machines will be searched for any illegal electronic devices.

The businesses where the machines were placed were not charged.

Martin said Harmeier was getting 40% of each game’s profits, the establishments were getting 28% and the remaining 32% covered Harmeier’s expenses in maintaining the machines and other business costs.

Vice detectives posing as patrons played the illegal game machines and observed the illegal electronic devices in the machines when they were opened by service workers, Martin said.

One machine mistakenly gave a detective 50 free plays and he still won only three prizes, two of which were won without the use of the claw device, Martin said.

The investigation was prompted by a tip from a police informant, Martin said. The San Diego, El Cajon and Chula Vista police and Sheriff’s Department conducted the investigation.

There are an estimated 600 game machines with claw-type devices in the county. Police informants say more than 100 have been rigged, Martin said.

The Los Angeles Police Department, which assigns two detectives full-time to investigating game scams, estimates that the majority of the game machines are rigged, he added.