One of the men asked for change for a ten-dollar bill, and as William opened the cash drawer the men produced pistols and demanded that a sack be filled with all the available cash. The escapees then travelled to Lima County jail to liberate Dillinger. Local newspapers led the speculation that the robbery was the work of former Confederate guerrillas, others speculated that the robbers had been from Kansas, so called Redlegs who had been supportive of the Union cause during the recently concluded Civil War. Read through and the next time you visit your bank, remember to take a look up and smile for the camera. Beginning in late 1924 and stretching into the early spring of 1925 a series of bank robberies throughout Indiana baffled authorities, as bank after bank found itself victim to a gang which simply vanished into thin air following the robberies. 1. When he was 19, he participated in a botched burglary and was imprisoned for 10 years. The robbers weren't caught until January 1956. I don't use that to make bank robbery "okay" but that's what made it okay for me at the time. The Lord never seeks re- election. I simply walked up to them when it was my turn to be helped, and I told them -- usually via handwritten instructions on an envelope -- to give me their $50s and $100s. Famous American Bank Robbers - CNBC Over a dozen people were murdered by this duo until cops finally killed them. During their spree, they killed around 13 lawmen, although Dillinger was never proven to have killed anyone. When talking about famous thieves, one can't leave out Albert Spaggiari. The Banco Central burglary Stolen: $71.6 million. 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Though he's probably one of Texas's most famous outlaws, Sam Bass is widely regarded to have been a rather inept criminal. The duo and their gang went on to rob numerous other stores and banks before their downfall. 1. They were able to do so thanks to the driver, who was not an accomplice but was provided along with the vehicle, which had been rented by the two bank robbers. Philip And Matasareanu Were Heavily Medicated During The North Hollywood Bank Robbery Shootout. On August 23rd, 1934, Van Meter was ambushed by four police officers and brutally gunned down. John Dillinger left a bloody trail all across the Midwest. The next day, the depot was robbed. Here are some of the most notorious bank robberies or robbers in American history. I told him I was 100% sure that they had the amount wrong. Cassidy ordered the bank vault's location and made away with a box full of money amounting to more than twenty thousand dollars. Knightsbridge Security Deposit Robbery of $98 Million, 1987. 7. . The gang even participated in kidnappings, however this proved to be their downfall. Not fake talking on her phone as a distraction, but carrying on an actual conversation while slipping the teller a this is a robbery note. He was the last remaining public enemy, all the others having being captured or killed. In January, 1934, the gang robbed a bank in Chicago escaping with $20,376. 25 Biggest Robberies, Raids, And Heists Ever The heist inspired three films: 10 Million Dollar Getaway, the Big Heist, and Goodfellas. John and Clarence Anglin, along with fellow inmate Frank Morris, escaped from Alcatraz in June 1962. Once the robbers reached an area near Lytle Creek they again engaged the pursuers. On the morning of February 27, Henry and his sons were at work in the bank when two men Clyde Barrow and Red Hamilton entered the building. He managed to shoot his way to an escape, although his pregnant girlfriend was shot in the thigh. Hunter. When a man going by the name Brushy Bill Roberts (above, left) surfaced in Texas in 1950 seeking pardon for the crimes of Billy the Kid, the media took notice. Barrow was armed with a sawed-off shotgun. Two bank robbers and one deputy died in the gun battle, nine officers were wounded. The trio then proceeded to rob a bank in Minnesota for $32,000. J.L. Dillinger buried his friend at the home of Volney Davis and Edna Murray. North Hollywood shootout, 1997, deadly . The driver then sped off, and since the make and model of the vehicle were not reported in the Tribune, it is impossible to determine what speeds were attained, but they were pursued by citizens and police also in automobiles. People worth millions dont typically get involved in robbing banks (unless of course that is how you made your millions). 1. October 18, 2009, Baby Face Nelson. Floyds support from the public was especially evident in Oklahoma, where residents sheltered and protected him, in return for financial largesse, an eventuality which infuriated J. Edgar Hoover. Following his escape from Allen County, Dillinger participated in at least ten additional bank robberies over the course of the next year, was captured again, escaped again, and became a subject of international notoriety. It was later claimed that Butch Cassidy had been one of the robbers. He ran errands for gangsters when he was 10 years old, and soon garnered a reputation for reliability. Tulsa World. "I never felt guilty because I didn't attack or assault anyone. There's no discussion. He was paroled in 1932, and began to commit small time robberies with Parker. Jamie founded Listverse due to an insatiable desire to share fascinating, obscure, and bizarre facts. Sutton was an accomplished bank robber, although he never carried a loaded gun and never killed anybody throughout his criminal career. Pity. He was executed at the Ohio State Penitentiary in October 1934, after a failed escape attempt left him severely wounded. Valerio and his associates entered the facility, pretending to be customers. Whilst incarcerated he became embittered against society, and began to mix with notorious criminals such as Harry Pierpoint and James Oklahoma Jack Clark. Editorial Reviews. In August he robbed another, in Bluffton, Ohio. Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies. After Pretty Boy Floyd was killed Nelson inherited the designation of Public Enemy Number One. Shootouts. Increased security in the aftermath of the 1993 World Trade Center bombing did not prevent Ralph Guarino and colleagues from robbing Bank of America there. The law eventually caught up with Floyd, and in 1930, he was arrested and charged with the robbery of the Sylvania Ohio Bank. After getting pinched for robbing a gas station, he met John Dillinger and others in prison who taught himthe trade, and then escaped prison to work with Dillinger and his associates. It is estimated he stole over $2 million from banks. It was 12:38 in the afternoon on January 13, 2006, when the call went out to police: a bank robbery in progress. Via cbsnews.com. But it was pretty low risk that way, so that was cool with me. A fresh take on sports: the biggest news and most entertaining lists. One of the largest bank robberies of all time was committed without the use of force, without any injuries, and without any real chance of catching the perpetrators or recovering the missing cash. The Burrowing Burglars Unresolved The Central Bank of Iraq Robbery - $920 million. Wikimedia. Horse thievery. Sutton carried on his criminal career whilst on the run, but eventually ended up spending more than half his adult life in prison. After participating in numerous small time robberies, he was eventually jailed for 5 years. Previously they had broken into banks after hours, hoping to avoid any injury to themselves or others. Wikimedia. Guarino brought in three additional known criminals of his acquaintance to assist in the robbery, which was of a Brinks shipment of cash, which was to be taken to the eleventh floor facility after arriving at the complex. Via: The Richest. Of course Chaz rarely made it to class; instead, organizing bank heists to steal more federal money. He was pissed, of course, because it wasn't closing time, and he thought he had gotten there too late. Sutton later answered the question, after admitting he never said the famous quote: Why did I rob banks? Steven Nickel and William J. Helmer. When Jesse read newspaper reports of robberies which were attributed to him he often wrote to the papers editor protesting his innocence of the crime in question. Liddell: The Kingdom of God is not a democracy. He was gunned down in the so called Battle of Barrington, but not before taking FBI agents Herman Hollis and Samuel P Cowley with him. Fred Barker and his mother were gunned down by the FBI in their homes, in 1935. He died after being shot by cops during a failed rescue attempt by his crew (Nash was on his way to prison). 18 Biggest Bank Robbers and Robberies in American history The most notorious outlaws of the Wild West have long been . Jesse James robbed many banks and killed several men, but his legend overshadows his true history. 5. Five days later they were arrested in Ohio. After ensuring that the teenager was alone in the bank, Green shot him in the back of the head and left with about $5,000. Often several different gangs occupied it simultaneously, though they did not coordinate their various nefarious activities. After exiting the theatre the FBI were waiting for him and he was shot down as he tried to escape down a nearby alleyway. After being apprehended again, he was sentenced to 50 years imprisonment. Dale Ingram, Tulsa World. You can reach David on Twitter @david_s_grant and his website www.pulpscribbler.com. An illustration from an 1882 book on the lives of Frank and Jesse James and the Younger brothers. He was not, but it was likely that the Sundance Kid was, and if so Cassidy certainly knew about the robbery, which took place as he was in Tipton, Wyoming, making plans for another train robbery. They fled to the north. Dillinger was charged; however, many claim it was Hamilton who pulled the trigger. He robbed a bank in Ohio, but was captured soon after. Train robberies. The robbery involved a political bribery scandal, surfboard repair kits and lots of dynamite. The depredations of the roving criminal gangs of the depression years led to bank robbery becoming a federal crime in 1934, if the bank was a National bank or a member bank of the Federal Reserve System. He moved to America shortly before the outbreak of World War I, and became a hold up man; quickly adapting his military training, his study of tactics and his precision and discipline to the art of crime. The attempted robbery of the First National Bank of Northfield on September 7 was stopped when the clerk refused to open the safe, claiming that it was equipped with a time lock which prevented him from doing so, while another clerk fled out the back door, wounded in the shoulder. He was executed at the Oklahoma State Penitentiary in 2002, by lethal injection. He has been a guest speaker on numerous national radio and television stations and is a five time published author. Johnny D. Boggs, True West Magazine. But to me, the money was the chips, thats all.. The young men produced shotguns and ordered the chief cashier, a man named Birge, and his aides to hand over all available cash. Lee Murray, who is thought to be the mastermind behind this robbery was caught in 2010 in Morocco. 1. It was September 21, 1991. Johnson was sentenced to four life sentences and Neill was again given the death penalty. A fellow inmate sexually assaulted him over the course of a year, until Clyde eventually cracked his skull with a metal bar. In 1879, Jesse returned to crime, with a new gang he engaged in a string of robberies in Missouri, Mississippi, and Louisiana, though Frank had by then given up the life of robberies and running. Cold-blooded murder. The robbers shot up more than two dozen patrol cars and damaged a police helicopter. 17 Clever Bank Robberies That Didn't Involve Violence or Weapons - Ranker David lives and works in New York City. He was nicknamed slick for the many disguises he wore on the job. Clyde Barrow and Bonnie Parker were ambushed, in May 1934. Security Pacific Bank, Norco, California, 1980, deadly shootout between local law enforcement and five bank robbers. Hamilton and the rest of the gang learned that Dillinger had been imprisoned in Allen County prison, in Lima, on bank robbery charges. At 9:24 am, a riddle of bullets was fired by Philip after he spotted a parked police vehicle 60 meters from the building. In the early afternoon of April 12, 1957, Steven Ray Thomas and Wanda DiCenzi entered the St. Clair Savings and Loan in Cleveland, and while Steven held a teller at gunpoint Wanda stole about $2,000 from the cash drawers, and the two made their escape, driven from the scene by a third accomplice, Rose ODonnell. 9 Unsolved Mysteries of the Wild West | Mental Floss The Bank of Montpelier/Facebook. Wikimedia. However, he has reportedly already died and was never brought to justice. One of the most famous bank robbers in American History, "Slick Willie" spent 11 years at Eastern State Penitentiary. It's almost a nostalgic thing. 9 Million was stolen (which translates to $21.6 Million today). Police caught him 15 minutes later with the knife and 410 in cash stolen from a Tesco in King's Lynn, Norfolk. Turns out she was talking with her accomplice, a boyfriend driving the getaway car outside the banks. Hamilton attended the liberation at Lima Jail but did not enter the building, instead serving as a lookout. He is renowned for his brilliant and efficient style, planning and executing robberies like military operations. They impersonated police officers, telling the Sheriff they had come to extradite Dillinger to Indiana. On the way, Bowman stopped in Utah, Colorado, Nebraska, Iowa, and Missouri. After the Northfield, robbery attempt led to the destruction of the James-Younger gang Jesse and his brother Frank escaped, and for a time lived under an assumed name in Nashville, Tennessee. Shirlee Pigeon, Riverside Sheriffs Association, 2010. Robbing a bank is the ultimate risk and reward, full of thrills, hard cash and consequences if caught. The North Hollywood Bank of America Robbery. I wouldn't steal from an individual person because I'm not comfortable with that. FBI. Townspeople raised the alarm and armed men were awaiting the robbers as they exited the bank. Butch was capable of robbing a bank with nothing but a pistol, but his men have been caught before. His numerous prison escapes also added to his legend. bank. The year was 2005 and at only 19 years of age, the "Cell Phone Bandit," Candice Rose Martinez, was famous for her bank robbery execution. 3. It was 1976 in Beirut. Philadelphia authorities suspected the theft to have been an inside job and entry achieved using a key. As a young man, Van Meter became involved in crime after working as a waiter for a short while. Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged in, Please refresh your browser to be logged in, Successful bank robber who never got caught explains his modus, Extra 20% off selected fashion and sportswear at Very, Up to 20% off & extra perks with Booking.com Genius Membership, $6 off a $50+ order with this AliExpress discount code, 10% off selected orders over 100 - eBay discount code, Compare broadband packages side by side to find the best deal for you, Compare cheap broadband deals from providers with fastest speed in your area, All you need to know about fibre broadband, Best Apple iPhone Deals in the UK March 2023, Compare iPhone contract deals and get the best offer this March, Compare the best mobile phone deals from the top networks and brands. The Newton Boys Were the Baddest Bank Robbers You've Never Heard Of FBI. Moments later, cops were racing through San Isidro, a leafy, affluent suburb north . Ill admit that Patty Hearst probably belongs more in a Most Interesting versus Greatest bank robbers list, but here you go anyway. It was later determined that Hamilton left over $300 in quarters and half-dollars in the cash drawers. Thom Hatch. One of the main things I learned from research was that an overwhelming number of people are caught because they didn't do it solo. The night watchman was murdered in this incident, and Davis was sentenced to life imprisonment. In February 1933, bank robberies had become so common in some parts of Texas that private banker R. P. Henry, who with his sons ran a bank in Lancaster, Texas, took to hiding cash in file cabinets, rather than keeping it in the vault safe, in expectation of a visit from criminals. The first bank robbery caught on camerafrom 1957. With the robbers broadcasting their crime live over the airwaves, it's a mystery why the police never caught the Baker Street gang red-handed. Floyd robbed more than thirty banks and killed at least ten men during his criminal career. Butch Cassidy: Butch Cassidy was the leader of one of the famous robbery gangs, Wild Butch Gang. The men were John, Clarence, and Alfred Anglin, and they did not wear masks. ", "I still acknowledge what I've done, but the process and experience of going to prison and finding myself (as well as a purpose in life) has really made it all worth it, relatively speaking. The two men had extracted roughly $60,000 from the Savings Association, and though many historians attribute the robbery to being led by Jesse James, it was never officially solved. Online. The bells notified law enforcement of a robbery taking place in the bank, and often caused the robbers to flee without obtaining any, or at least not very much, cash for their efforts. Floyd wasnt your typical gangster bank robber though; no, he was providing a service. Box 146, folder 2. Pretty ballsy on her part. However, this was invented by a reporter who never even interviewed Sutton. Baron Lamm died, aged 40, after a botched bank robbery when his gang crashed their getaway car. The robbery was led by the notorious likes of outlaw Butch Cassidy and his sidekicks. Whichever teller was available to help me is the one I robbed. He was shot dozens of times, and several of his fingers were blown off. 10 Truly Successful Thieves - Listverse Barrow soon killed again, after a robbery at a grocery store where he shot the owner for showing resistance; during the robbery they stole just $28 and a few groceries. OK, in terms of actual . Kent, UK; 2006. To pull it off, a 25-member gang set up a fake landscaping business. After linking up with the Dillinger gang, he participated in some other high profile bank robberies. In June 1986, bank officials opened for business on a Monday morning to find a 20-by-25-inch hole in the bottom of the vault, deposit boxes strewn all over the floor and about $172,000 in cash . Historians have labelled the 1930s as the Public Enemy era; a time when a small minority of criminals stood out as being particularly notorious and were hunted determinedly by the police and FBI. The robbers left with $6,700 in cash, unwittingly leaving behind another $9,000 safely hidden in file cabinets. A crowd gathers at Chicagos Biograph theater after the death of John Dillinger, July 22, 1934. That would be the equivalent of approximately $5 million today. Throughout history, banks have continually upgraded their security systems, equipment and procedures. Jesse James is arguably Americas most famous thief and murderer, certainly the most famous of the western outlaws during the two decades which followed the American Civil War. They were pursued by a hastily formed posse, and later by Pinkertons, but they eluded the chase. The Burrowing Burglars. I got out before the doors were locked, but a guy walking into the bank seconds later already found them locked. Before he became one of the most wanted outlaws in the west, Cassidy was born as Robert Leroy Parker in Utah. theunredacted 26 Feb 2018. At 8.30 in the morning of January 14, 1998, the Brinks truck arrived and the guards were transferring the cash when they were overpowered by the gang assembled by Guarino. 10 Best Unsolved Bank Robberies - Eskify However, instead of returning to prison, he went on the run. Whoever the culprits had been, they had burrowed through 100 feet of soil from a nearby sewer drain, and had drilled . He spent his time planning heists with his new found friends, that they would commit shortly after being released. In the end Sutton worked as a security consultant for banks. FBI agent Melvin Purvis hunted down Pretty Boy Floyd to an Ohio field. Williams and his gang were known for being able to do bank jobs in under a minute. Elisha Converse was a founder and president of the bank in which his son was murdered in the first armed bank robbery in American history. Willie Sutton. It was unlikely that Floyd had been involved, but J. Edgar Hoover used the event as propaganda to further the cause of armed FBI agents. As such, they've always been pretty intriguing, especially how old-fashioned they are in an age of hacking and cryptocurrencies. Director: Roger Avary | Stars: Eric Stoltz, Julie Delpy, Martin Raymond, Eric Pascal Chaltiel. 1964, The Maiden Murder. As a young man he enlisted in the US Navy, but was dishonorably discharged after he deserted. They would commonly participate in gun battles with police, in which innocent bystanders were often killed. He used cash to buy a one-way ticket on . The 15 Biggest Bank Heists In History - Theclever By 1932 Nelson had been caught, convicted, and sentenced to prison, though he escaped during a prison transfer in 1932. Robbing banks was Dillingers bread and butter, and often included elaborate plans that placed him front and center, demanding attention of security, tellers and customers. Stolen: $20 million - $50 million. In the 1920s a surge of bank robberies across the United States began which continued through the Great Depression of the 1930s. Frank Eugene Converse, whose family later founded the Converse Shoe Company, was a seventeen-year-old clerk at the First Malden Bank in Malden, Middlesex County, Massachusetts, in December of 1863. On September 19, 1900, members of the Wild Bunch entered the town of Winnemucca, Nevada. Jesse James. After the United States government protested to the British authorities the raiders were arrested in Canada and the money seized. These criminals werent like the bank robbers of today; handing a note to a teller and escaping with $100, only to be caught the next day. It took exactly zero technology to catch the bad . Young had contacts with Confederate agents in Canada, who authorized the raid on St. Albans, which was actually the simultaneous robbery of the three banks in the town. Theodore J. Conrad pulled off one of the biggest bank robberies in Cleveland's history. Ted Conrad was working as a teller at the . ", "In their top drawer, [tellers usually had] less than $10k. Although rumored to have been a nice guy, he murdered his partner, Nollie Humpy Wortman, after they completed a job. After this, Nelson began to rob banks with Homer Van Meter and Eddie Green. He remained on the run for three years before crashing his car in thick fog. After the death of John Dillinger, Floyd was elevated to Public Enemy Number One by the FBI. Among his associate criminals of his time, such as Baby Face Nelson, Homer Van Meter and John Red Hamilton, Dillinger was, by far, the most notorious. Who are some famous bank robbers that got away with the money? Later, when Parker was visiting her mother, officers moved in to arrest her again, but Barrow and an associate gunned them down, committing what was Barrows first murder of a lawman. D.B. Cooper Hijacking FBI - Federal Bureau Of Investigation After staying unidentified for more than 50 years, an infamous bank robber from the USA has finally been identified. August 3, 2012, 3 Gunmen Rob Guards of $1.6 Million at World Trade Center Bank. After a failed escape attempt, and after serving 7 years, he applied for a 20 month leave of absence which was granted. For his third escape, he dressed as a prison guard and carried a ladder to the prison wall at night; when the searchlight hit him he shouted: its ok! and nobody stopped him. Herman Baron Lamm was a German American bank robber who is widely considered the father of modern bank robbery. In 1997, Los Angeles residents witnessed what became the deadliest bank robbery in the history of America. I was more alive when I was inside a bank, robbing it, than at any other time in my life. Hamilton began his criminal career by robbing a gas station in Indiana, and being sentenced to a very long prison term of 25 years. Clipping from the Minneapolis Tribune, March 14, 1934. Top 5 Bank Robbery Movies - YouTube They killed at least nine people during their spree, including civilians.