(08-03) 04:55 PDT Hemet, Calif. (AP) —

Police are searching for a security technician who they suspect of forcing his way into the Soboba Casino at gunpoint, hogtying four employees and disappearing with possibly more than $1 million.

Riverside County sheriff’s officials identified the suspect as Rolando L. Ramos, 25, who worked at the San Jacinto-area casino for two years maintaining its video surveillance cameras.

“No shots were fired and no casino guests were injured,” said Assistant Sheriff Pat McManus. “I don’t think (the guests) were even aware of what was going on until the doors were locked down.”

At least $2 million was in the vault during the early Thursday heist, McManus said. The amount stolen has not been disclosed.

Rosemary Morillo, vice chairwoman of the Soboba Band of Luiseno Indians, said that although a substantial amount of money was stolen, “what matters is nobody was hurt.”

“The suspect was cleared to work here by many security measures, but sometimes decent people do bad things,” Morillo said.

Sheriff’s deputies searched Ramos’ Hemet apartment and found theatrical makeup, suggesting that he was trying to hide his identity.

McManus said Ramos was wearing his casino uniform and identification badge when he allegedly pulled off the robbery. Several of the people he bound and gagged, and locked in the vaults, recognized him, authorities said.

Ramos had a security guard escort him into the vault area at about 5 a.m. after telling him he was going to work on surveillance equipment, McManus said.

“We do know that he tried to destroy some of the surveillance equipment in some of the surveillance rooms,” but he was unsuccessful, McManus said.

The Sheriff’s Department received the first emergency call about the robbery at 5:24 a.m. Ramos’ car was found several blocks from the casino.

Ramos apparently hid a handgun, pepper spray and duct tape in a tool belt before entering the secure vault room, McManus said. At gunpoint, he bound and gagged at least four employees, pepper-spraying one. Three employees were found in one vault, and one was found in another vault, authorities said.

Ramos was born in the Philippines and has family there and in Mexico. Investigators believe he may attempt to flee to one of those countries.

___

Information from: Los Angeles Times,

www.latimes.com