Bank robberies are a major plot device in films, particularly the once-popular western genre, though in reality bank robberies in the American western frontier days were relatively rare. 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. On the morning of June 9th, 1986, employees at Hollywood's First Interstate Bank showed up for work, preparing for the long week ahead. For John Hamilton, robbing banks wasnt his first choice. During one robbery Nelson was reported to have sprayed innocent bystanders with machine gun bullets while screaming wildly. 9. To pull it off, a 25-member gang set up a fake landscaping business. Rebecca Seales, The Daily Mail. Hunter. On January 17, 1950, 11 men steal more than $2 million ($29 million today) from the . Floyd was killed in an Ohio field on the night of October 22, 1934, though several different versions of the events that night emerged from the participants in the shooting and witnesses. 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. Here are 10 of the most famous and notorious of these outlaws of the Wild West. During his criminal career, which was a short and violent one, he was only accused of personally killing one individual, an East Chicago police officer, though his associates killed many more while committing robberies and eluding capture. Ill admit that Patty Hearst probably belongs more in a Most Interesting versus Greatest bank robbers list, but here you go anyway. List of Bank Robbers and Robberies - United Kingdom - LiquiSearch They were shot over 50 times, including numerous headshots on each corpse. Baby Face Nelson was a prominent member of John Dillingers gang who, along with Homer Van Meter, had a particular reputation for violence. He received a life sentence but escaped during a prison transfer. James started as a soldier in the Civil War and then, after the war was over, set out to knock off financial institutions to become rich. 17 Clever Bank Robberies That Didn't Involve Violence or Weapons - Ranker He has also escaped from prison multiple times. Today its very hard to pull off a bank job, yet each day approximately 20 banks are robbed in the U.S. alone! Liddell: The Kingdom of God is not a democracy. John Dillinger, Bonnie and Clyde, Pretty Boy Floyd, and several others, were cheered by those who had been hurt by the banks during the collapse of many of them in the early days of the depression. Top 10 Bank Robberies Who Successfully Made It - EnkiVillage After the United States government protested to the British authorities the raiders were arrested in Canada and the money seized. John Dillinger left a bloody trail all across the Midwest. Despite FFR1000 charged, she's an art student with day jobs e.g. But it was pretty low risk that way, so that was cool with me. Feb 14, 1864, Missouri Bank Cashes In on Jesse James. 2013, Bank Robbers In Motorcar. Whilst in prison he tried to escape with another prisoner. In April of 1934 they pulled off a bank job, but the getaway went awry and a shootout ensued. Cattle rustling. He was arrested after being recognized during the robbery and sentenced to 10 to 20 years imprisonment, which was a very harsh sentence, indeed, for a first time offender. Maybe its not balls; maybe cocky is the right word to describe him. Green was not a suspect at first, the citizens of Malden unable to believe that a man in his position was capable of such a heinous crime. He spent his time planning heists with his new found friends, that they would commit shortly after being released. Although Al Capone had been named Public Enemy Number One by the city of Chicago in 1930, John Dillinger was the first to hold the title as bestowed nationally by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. They then left the bank with about $7,000 in mostly small bills. Alarm buzzers and bells, which rang loudly inside and outside of the bank, were one of the earliest. Four days after his arrest, Dillinger oversaw the smuggling of weapons into his friends prison cells, and they escaped, but not before killing two guards. Dillinger buried his friend at the home of Volney Davis and Edna Murray. As such, they've always been pretty intriguing, especially how old-fashioned they are in an age of hacking and cryptocurrencies. In 2005-2006, Clay Tumey "studied and perfected the art of bank robbery", never getting caught but still going to prison about five months after his last robbery because he turned himself in . The 2005 Banco Central burglary in Fortaleza, Brazil, was once recognized by Guinness Book of World Records as the world's greatest bank robbery. Security Pacific Bank, Norco, California, 1980, deadly shootout between local law enforcement and five bank robbers. World's 10 Biggest Bank Robberies of All Time! - Al Bawaba Given he was born in 1866, not likely. The exact number of men who entered the town and gathered together in front of the Clay County Savings Association differs; according to accounts it was anywhere from ten to fourteen. The small explosion occurred in public outside the bank, causing witnesses to take notice of the man. AP. Lebanon's civil war was in full swing. His numerous prison escapes also added to his legend. 3. Cold-blooded murder. He was executed at the Ohio State Penitentiary in October 1934, after a failed escape attempt left him severely wounded. Again, right tool for the job, that makes sense. Is it strange that every time I walk into a bank I lightly case the joint? After this he had difficulty holding down a job and began to plan a robbery with a friend. 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 . A payroll master targeted in the robbery described Floyd as: After the Kansas City massacre, in which three police officers and an FBI agent were killed when escorting Frank Nash during a change of custody (Nash was also killed), Pretty Boy Floyd was named by the FBI as one of the gunmen. Volney Davis was the boyfriend of Edna rabbits Murray. I was more alive when I was inside a bank, robbing it, than at any other time in my life. The Baker Street Robbery: Vault of Secrets | The Unredacted On September 26, 1933, a total of 10 men, including . The only caveat is, it's successful as long as you don't get caught. 8. 10. 10 Most Incredible Bank Heists in History - Business Insider Martinez, an attractive college student, would approach a bank teller while talking on her cell phone. I keep telling myself that if I live to be old (over eighty) that would be a good time to try heroin or other drugs because, why not? Over the years souvenir hunters chipped away pieces from his headstone, leading it to be replaced several times, often coinciding with the release of yet another film about his career. Bank Robbers in the American West 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. On a Friday in 1976, Spaggiari led a team of 20 men into the bank vault. Forcing the employees to lay on the floor and binding the hands of the banks president, Walter Oakley, they rifled the drawers and vault and made off with about $19,000 in cash. ", "No. Theodore J. Conrad pulled off one of the biggest bank robberies in Cleveland's history. Dillinger buried his friend at the home of Volney Davis and Edna Murray. The 15 Greatest Bank Robbers of All Time | TheRichest There's been a lot of train robberies in American history, but one of the most famous is likely the robbery of the Union Pacific Overland Flyer No. After the cashier reluctantly complied the men made their escape with about $32,000, most of it in gold. In reality, they killed several. Thom Hatch. He wasnt hurt, but the car was disabled, and soon after he engaged in a chase with police. Wikimedia. Before he became one of the most wanted outlaws in the west, Cassidy was born as Robert Leroy Parker in Utah. ", "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 Central Bank of Iraq Robbery - $920 million. Baby Face didnt have a long career, killed by federal agents at the age of 25. Most of the robbers were caught but the gold remains at large. ", On the final job that didn't go as planned, "The teller freaked out as soon as I turned to leave the bank. As a punishment, Van Meter spent two months in solitary confinement where he was severely beaten by guards. It was to be delivered to a local . October 18, 2009, Baby Face Nelson. The only money the gang managed to take during the robbery was a few bags of nickels. On Friday, February 28th, 1997 the Los Angeles Police Department would face one of the most dangerous criminal acts in its history - The North Hollywood Bank Shootout. Read through and the next time you visit your bank, remember to take a look up and smile for the camera. The infamous Ohio State Penitentiary in Columbus was one of the nations most notorious prisons when Pierpont was sent there for execution. Safecracker Zed meets his junkie friend after 11 years to rob a bank. List of bank robbers and robberies - Wikipedia Shirlee Pigeon, Riverside Sheriffs Association, 2010. Willie Sutton loved using disguises to rob banks. He remained on the run for three years before crashing his car in thick fog. The following year he robbed a bank in Grand Haven, Michigan. 5 most famous bank robberies in history - Love in Heart The bank was closed for renovations at the time, so the gang took its time, spending days breaking in and several hours emptying boxes. The earliest recorded bank heist in the States, as far as we know, was in 1798. He also stole the Sheriffs new Ford car to make his getaway. Most Famous Thieves in History: 1. These gangsters graduated into armed robbers and became known as the Tape Bandits, of which Nelson was a respected member. January 24, 2018, Harry Pierpont Turns State Evidence In His Trial For Bank Robbery. Only one of the robbers wore a mask, the others were easily identified and arrested. The Great Buenos Aires Bank Heist | GQ Starr liked to rob banks during the day, sometimes with his picture pasted on a Wanted Man poster on the very walls of the banks he robbed. They were the first bank robbers to be caught through the use of security cameras, though they were far from the last, as local newscasts have broadcast the video images of thieves on a routine basis ever since. After numerous convictions were attained using his information he entered the Witness Protection Program. November 1968, Why family believes Alcatraz escapees survived their journey. Frank Nash knocked over 200 banks in his time and is known by many as the most successful bank robber of all time. Kent, UK; 2006. J.D. 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. It was hit during the night of June 1 to 2, 1899, and the story as it's often told is the heist was pulled off by Butch Cassidy and his gang. He surrendered peacefully although no agents had brought any handcuffs, as they assumed Karpis would fight to the death. Knightsbridge Security Deposit Robbery: The "Italian" Work. Though he's probably one of Texas's most famous outlaws, Sam Bass is widely regarded to have been a rather inept criminal. Central Bank of Iraq by urrizato - Wikimedia. Unfortunately for Rountree he got caught each time he robbed a bank and ended up doing 12 years in prison where he eventually died. The police in automobiles were able to run them down quickly, and they were apprehended and taken to jail. Karpis nearly met his own violent death when the FBI located him in New Jersey. After many successful bank robberies and kidnappings, Davis was captured and charged with kidnapping. The one that got away: Cleveland bank heist mystery solved after 52 For a short while, Nelson was number one on the FBI list of public enemies. "One teller skimped out on me and didn't give me all I had asked for, and I told her, "You can do better than that." 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By then Jesse James had been dead for seven years, but the two remaining Younger brothers, Jim and Cole, continued to maintain their silence over any crimes committed by the James brothers, including the Northfield robbery. A posse of rangers opened fire into Barrows stolen car as he approached, at high speed, down a rural Louisiana road. 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. It was the first known instance of an automobile being used as a getaway car following both an armed robbery and a bank robbery. But what the terrified customers and police didn't know was that the bold robbery was merely a carefully crafted distraction to keep . Often several different gangs occupied it simultaneously, though they did not coordinate their various nefarious activities. 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. Because no bodies were ever found, the US Marshal service still considers the escape to be an open case. Famous American Bank Robbers - CNBC The robbery was led by the notorious likes of outlaw Butch Cassidy and his sidekicks. 23 Most Famous Thieves of All Time You've Never Heard of On September 19, 1900, members of the Wild Bunch entered the town of Winnemucca, Nevada. Dillinger and his gang began a spree of bank robberies across Indiana, accumulating over $300,000 in total. As the sons of migrant farmworkers, they had often visited Michigan in the spring and early summer as their parents picked fruit. Other aspects involved each gang member being assigned a job such vault man, driver or lobby man. 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. In January 1958, three brothers brandishing toy pistols robbed the Bank of Columbia in Columbia, Alabama. Most bank robbers act solo or with groups of accomplices, but Bonnie and Clyde were the rare duo that went on a crime spree that included bank robberies as well as gas stations and retail outlets. 3. Five days later they were arrested in Ohio. The gang of outlaws which included Jesse and Frank James and the Younger brothers robbed banks, trains, stagecoaches, at least one fair, stores, and other victims from around 1867 until 1876, when a bank robbery in Northfield, Minnesota went wrong for the criminals. One of the thieves, the one who had worn a ski mask, made it as far as Albuquerque, New Mexico before he was arrested two days following the robbery. Dillinger was born in Indiana and originally had no ties to crime. The heist inspired three films: 10 Million Dollar Getaway, the Big Heist, and Goodfellas. Library of Congress. However, he has reportedly already died and was never brought to justice. 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. Notorious Wild West Outlaw Butch Cassidy Robbed This Idaho Bank And There's no discussion. A group of men in ski masks entered the building using a key that Pace had kept after he was fired. Cassidy didnt need much, just his crew and a reputation that bled intimidation. His means of robbing banks were never violent; in fact the machine gun he carried was empty. It took exactly zero technology to catch the bad . Volney Davis. John and Clarence Anglin, along with fellow inmate Frank Morris, escaped from Alcatraz in June 1962. Officially the FBI considered the men dead, drowned in the cold waters off Alcatraz Island, but numerous sightings of the brothers were reported over many years in Georgia, Alabama, and South Carolina. Sometimes you are born into the lifestyle, and for Lester M. Gillis that came at the tender age of 12 when he first shot someone with a gun. It was later determined that Hamilton left over $300 in quarters and half-dollars in the cash drawers. Spaggiari is one of the most famous bank robbers in history. A driver remained in the car. Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in, Unlike in the movies, he never used weapons, teams or threats, Find your bookmarks in your Independent Premium section, under my profile. Infamous Bank Robber Who Was On The Run For 50 Years - IndiaTimes Cassidy was the ring leader of the gang known as the Wild Bunch, a group of Wild West criminals that loved to stick up banks, rob trains and then (presumably) drink whiskey and fight in saloons. Moral sense is perverted and he has no intention of following anything but a life of crime He is a murderer at heart, and if society is to be safeguarded, his type must be confined throughout their natural lives.. 2002, Riding with Bonnie and Clyde. They were both convicted of the crimes in 1985 and sentenced to death for capital murder and several other crimes in connection with the robbery. Director: Roger Avary | Stars: Eric Stoltz, Julie Delpy, Martin Raymond, Eric Pascal Chaltiel. The Burrowing Burglars. Shots were fired at the robbers outside while their three companions were still inside, who shot the clerk in the head and fled. After a failed escape attempt, and after serving 7 years, he applied for a 20 month leave of absence which was granted. The 300 million yen robbery caught the interest of international media when it took place in 1968. Williams and his gang were known for being able to do bank jobs in under a minute. He aligned himself with Baby Face Nelson and Tommy Carroll to rob a Michigan bank, escaping with $30,000. Hamilton attended the liberation at Lima Jail but did not enter the building, instead serving as a lookout. 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. They used dynamite to blast a hole in the roof of the safe deposit vault at United California Bank and looted $30 million in cash and valuables. The Brink's-MAT robbery occurred on November 26th, 1983, when six robbers broke into the Brink's-MAT warehouse at Heathrow Airport, London. Maybe it was how they asked for the money, their appearance or getaway. Several weeks later the police caught up to Andreoli in a Chester, PA diner where he was shot dead. North Hollywood shootout, 1997, deadly . 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. She started screaming "lock the doors, lock the doors" but I ignored it and just kept walking like nothing was happening. The banks customers were shoved aside and gathered with the employees, all of them forced to lie on the floor while Barrow watched over them with the shotgun and Hamilton filled a sack with the cash from the drawers. Whichever teller was available to help me is the one I robbed. 9 Unsolved Mysteries of the Wild West | Mental Floss Whether the raid was an act of war or a bank robbery has been debated ever since. The most famous aspect of the Lamm Technique was casing the bank before the robbery, and planning getaway routes so as to leave nothing to chance. I don't use that to make bank robbery "okay" but that's what made it okay for me at the time. When he was 19, he participated in a botched burglary and was imprisoned for 10 years. After exiting the theatre the FBI were waiting for him and he was shot down as he tried to escape down a nearby alleyway. 1. The law eventually caught up with Floyd, and in 1930, he was arrested and charged with the robbery of the Sylvania Ohio Bank. Clyde Barrow and Bonnie Parker were ambushed, in May 1934. The Burrowing Burglars Unresolved Here are some of the most notorious bank robberies or robbers in American history. Whilst incarcerated, he began to associate with prominent bank robbers such as John Dillinger, Harry Pierpoint and Homer Van Meter.