LEWISTON, ID – A Pullman man is facing felony grand theft charges after allegedly stealing a smartphone at the Clearwater River Casino and allegedly admitting he planned to sell it to fund his gambling.
Glenn Amberson, 59, was arrested on Saturday, May 4, after being identified in surveillance footage tied to an April 28 incident involving the theft of a $1,200 iPhone 16e. The phone’s owner had reported it missing in the early morning hours after visiting the casino.
According to court records, the owner said she accidentally dropped the phone—described as having a mint-green case—while leaving a gaming machine around 1:35 a.m. After realizing it was missing, she tracked the phone’s location via a GPS application to an address in Pullman.
The Nez Perce County Sheriff’s Office reviewed security footage provided by casino staff. The video reportedly shows Hassett dropping her phone and a man later walking by, picking it up, and placing it in his pocket before leaving the casino floor. The man was later identified as Amberson, whose blue Jeep with Washington plates was captured in a still image from the casino’s security system.
Casino employees contacted authorities again on May 4 when they saw Amberson and his vehicle return to the premises. When confronted, Amberson admitted to taking the phone with the intent to sell it and use the proceeds for gambling. He later told deputies that he had a change of heart and disposed of the phone in a storm drain near his home in Pullman.
Amberson was taken into custody at the casino without incident and booked into the Nez Perce County Jail. He is charged with grand theft. He appeared in court on Monday. Bond was set at $5,000.
