Here are some of the most notorious bank robberies or robbers in American history. I look for video cameras, security guard positioning and speculate where the vault is. Bonnie Parker and Clyde Barrow are among the most famous outlaws in history. For instance, he has robbed banks dressed as a maintenance man, a postman and a police officer. His bank robbery style became known as the Lamm Technique, and was widely imitated by other famous bank robbers, such as John Dillinger. The Burrowing Burglars Unresolved Herman Baron Lamm was a German American bank robber who is widely considered the father of modern bank robbery. Clyde Barrow and Bonnie Parker left a trail of dead lawmen and bystanders in their wake during their crime spree of robbery and murder. They were not in uniform and were not connected to any existing command of the Confederate Army, though they were under the ostensible command of Bennett Young, a former member of Morgans Raiders who had surrendered with Morgan but escaped to Canada. Mikhaylich was known as the Holiday Bandit due his frequent robberies in late December. 10 Of The Most Famous Bank Robberies In America He fled into an apple orchard where he was shot and killed. Modern day pop culture has kept the tradition alive with movies such as Point Break, HEAT and Reservoir Dogs. The Hole in the Wall Pass in Wyoming was an easily defended, difficult to approach hideout for several criminal gangs which took sanctuary there from the 1860s through the early twentieth century. The shootout began in the parking lot of the Security Pacific Bank, where one robber was killed, leading the others to steal a car in the lot and lead police on a 25-mile chase. Whilst in prison he tried to escape with another prisoner. 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. 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. Born in 1847 and raised in the "Little Dixie" area of western Missouri, James and his slave-owning family maintained strong . These gangsters graduated into armed robbers and became known as the Tape Bandits, of which Nelson was a respected member. To me, its just natural, given that a bank has a vault full of cash and money makes the world go around. Wikimedia. Approximately a year later, the same man robbed another Spokane bank, stealing $14,000, this time setting off a dye pack that he was given. theunredacted 26 Feb 2018. Kent, UK; 2006. Two members of his gang survived and James Oklahoma Jack Clark went on to join the Dillinger gang after being imprisoned, though Dillinger told Clark he couldnt join them unless he told him everything he knew about the Lamm Technique. 17 Clever Bank Robberies That Didn't Involve Violence or Weapons - Ranker I have tried to rank in order of reputation and skill. The Bureau of Investigation (BOI), formed in 1908, expanded into the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) in the 1920s and became involved in the investigation of bank robberies and the apprehension of the robbers in the 1930s. He was jailed for four years last April. A patrol car with visible bullet damage following the Norco shootout, following a bank robbery. After another robbery three months later, a composite sketch was finally able to be drawn up and . AP. He committed his first major robbery in the 1920s, burglarizing a hospital in Tulsa. Dillinger buried his friend at the home of Volney Davis and Edna Murray. ", "When my lawyer first brought all my paperwork to me, I noticed that the amount was $100 off for that particular bank. The pair and their group were famous for carrying thefts from trains and banks. 1964, The Maiden Murder. Blessed Are the Bank Robbers: The True Adventures of an Evangelical Two years later, the first successful getaway by automobile following a bank robbery took place in France. 15 Of The Most Notorious Criminals Never Caught | TheRichest I enjoyed everything about it so much that one or two weeks later Id be out looking for the next job. "Part of my process did begin with how poorly I thought rich people handled their money. . 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. 5. They remained at large until two days later when they were encountered in the general region of the second shootout. 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. 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. He was also an associate of John Dillinger, Alvin Karpis and the Barker gang. Dillinger wanted to be more famous than Capone and let everyone know who he was. It is important to keep in mind that Butch Cassidy and his "Hole-in-the-Wall Gang" are one of the few successful bands of bank robbers during this time period. 10 Unsolved Heists We Won't Soon Forget - Treehugger 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. After robbing the wife of the Chicago mayor, he earned his nickname. He also stole the Sheriffs new Ford car to make his getaway. To pull it off, a 25-member gang set up a fake landscaping business. This led Dillinger to be admired by many who considered the banks who foreclosed on homes and farms as the real enemy. In January of 1934 Hamilton and his crew robbed over $20,000 from a bank and gunned downed an officer. "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." At the time of his death, he was 27 years old. Oh-so-coincidentally, the next day, six bandits got into the garage with keys in hand, then tied up . Knightsbridge Security Deposit Robbery of $98 Million, 1987. The story is unsupported by evidence and was probably created by Floyd, who hated the nickname Pretty Boy. The post-war violence between the former Confederate supporters and Unionists led to him being a popular figure among the former, despite the frequency and violence of his crimes. On that Friday morning, after months of planning two armed bank robbers entered and robbed the North Hollywood Bank of America branch in California. Money Heist in real life: 5 largest cash heists in US history Floyd killed at least three police officers and several other underworld figures, including bootleggers, which indicates he may have supplemented his income from bank robberies by serving as a hitman for organized crime figures. In March the crime spree began again, and in that month alone three additional Indiana banks were robbed by Pierpont and his associates, in New Harmony, Kokomo, and Laketon. 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. Needless to say, she got fired. The British Bank of the Middle East robbery. 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. The skies darkened when Cassidy got close, thats how badass he was during the time of the Wild Wild West. Dillinger buried his friend at the home of Volney Davis and Edna Murray. 25 Biggest Bank Robberies of All Time - eLawTalk.com He was buried by Dillinger. Wikimedia. Votes: 20,895 | Gross: $0.42M September 25, 1992, The Norco Bank Robbery. Charles Arthur Floyd was a gun happy bank robber who during his violent career cultivated a favorable image with the general public by spreading rumors that in the course of his robberies he also destroyed mortgage documents, saving many from foreclosure. French "Vacuum Gang" Since 2006, in France, an unknown gang of thieves have been emptying supermarket safes, using nothing more than a drill and a modified vacuum cleaner. Butch Cassidy (seated at right) and the Wild Bunch, one of several gangs which used Hole in the Wall Pass as a hideout. 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. The South Malabar Gramin Bank's Chelembra branch robbery was inspired by the Bollywood movie Dhoom. A determined J Edgar Hoover had even vowed to personally arrest Karpis. Notorious Bank Robbers in History - ThoughtCo A driver remained in the car. Sutton claimed he never actually said it. 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. Only one of the robbers wore a mask, the others were easily identified and arrested. He did a Reddit Ask Me Anything yesterday, and it yielded some fascinating stuff. I just told them what I wanted, and they complied. The group soon became the hot target of the . Barrow was armed with a sawed-off shotgun. He has also escaped from prison multiple times. Eric A. Aguilera and his accomplish Luda Ramos robbed The Soboba Casino in Las Vegas in 2005. 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. While traveling and searching for new ways to put some money in his pocket for a better life, he stumbled upon Mike . Under the circumstances, I was as nice as I could possibly be to the bank employees because I did feel a little sympathy for them. Start your Independent Premium subscription today. It was September 21, 1991. J.L. 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 . There has to be some disappointment that comes with getting caught because cameras picked up the license plate of a stolen getaway car. Sutton was once asked by a reporter why he robbed banks. It took exactly zero technology to catch the bad . Eventually, most of the Tape bandits were rounded up, including Nelson. In Indiana, Van Meter robbed a police station with Dillinger. A legend of the Wild West, in addition to robbing banks James was an expert train robber, because if you cant get your kicks robbing banks then try to steal from something that is moving! 10 Best Unsolved Bank Robberies - Eskify Whilst incarcerated he became embittered against society, and began to mix with notorious criminals such as Harry Pierpoint and James Oklahoma Jack Clark. He conned his way into a program that allowed him out of prison during the day to attend the University of Michigan. The Banco Central burglary Stolen: $71.6 million. Ill admit that Patty Hearst probably belongs more in a Most Interesting versus Greatest bank robbers list, but here you go anyway. Townspeople raised the alarm and armed men were awaiting the robbers as they exited the bank. Two bank robbers and one deputy died in the gun battle, nine officers were wounded. Volney Davis. At the time of his death, he was only 25 years old. Anyway, here are the stories of five famous bank robberies. I look for video cameras, security guard positioning and speculate where the vault is. Moments later, cops were racing through San Isidro, a leafy, affluent suburb north . Hamilton was at the top of the public enemy list, whilst Dillinger and associate Harry Pierpoint were imprisoned. Library of Congress. However, this was invented by a reporter who never even interviewed Sutton. 8 of the Most Successful Bank Robberies in History - Reader's Digest As such, they've always been pretty intriguing, especially how old-fashioned they are in an age of hacking and cryptocurrencies. J.D. During his first brief stint in prison, the director of research wrote the following: This fellow is a criminal of the most dangerous type. June 28, 2009, Family plot: Pretty Boy Floyd relative recalls his infamous uncle. Online. Three men entered the First National Bank and demanded that the cashier, George Nixon, open the safe and give up the gold coins within. The heist inspired three films: 10 Million Dollar Getaway, the Big Heist, and Goodfellas. Wikimedia. 1798: America's First Bank Heist Was Nearly Perfect - History Things The following year he robbed a bank in Grand Haven, Michigan. Karpis was raised in Kansas and began associating with criminals from an early age. Willie Sutton loved using disguises to rob banks. It's almost a nostalgic thing. 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. World's 10 Biggest Bank Robberies of All Time! - Al Bawaba bank. Previously they had broken into banks after hours, hoping to avoid any injury to themselves or others. The Barker family were a notorious gang of siblings who robbed banks and killed without provocation. 10. The pair robbed banks together during the 1930s. Arthur was a modern day Robin Hood, providing a service for people in need by stealing. Here are 10 of the most famous and notorious of these outlaws of the Wild West. 9 Biggest Casino Robberies - Top Successful Casino Heists 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. The gang robbed the First Nation Bank, in St. Marys Ohio, escaping with $14,000. 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. The . Someone should have. Whilst incarcerated, he began to associate with prominent bank robbers such as John Dillinger, Harry Pierpoint and Homer Van Meter. Nelson survived the confrontation only to die of his wounds at a safe house a short time later. No deliberation. 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. James was not positively identified by any witnesses (though he was well known in the area), and none of the money was ever recovered. FBI. . 1. The men were John, Clarence, and Alfred Anglin, and they did not wear masks. The victim said: He was good looking, hardly more than a boy. Shots were fired at the robbers outside while their three companions were still inside, who shot the clerk in the head and fled. 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 chase covered seven miles before police caught up with them. I don't use that to make bank robbery "okay" but that's what made it okay for me at the time. David lives and works in New York City. The Most Notable Train Robberies In The Wild West - Grunge.com 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. Grim bank officials told Hunt that someone had . Tulsa World. Bettmann Archive/Getty Images. Gillis would become known as Baby Face Nelson and despite being very short (54) and small (133 lbs) he was a dangerous individual during the golden age of gangsters. Facebook boast Tesco robber jailed She started screaming "lock the doors, lock the doors" but I ignored it and just kept walking like nothing was happening. John "Red" Hamilton. To me, its just natural, given that a. Spaggiari is one of the most famous bank robbers in history. Editorial Reviews. Baby Face Nelson was a prominent member of John Dillingers gang who, along with Homer Van Meter, had a particular reputation for violence. As in the earlier days in the west, where criminals such as Jesse James gained the sympathy and even the admiration of citizens who agreed with their activities, some of the famous robbers and murderers of the days of the roving gangs became folk heroes among the poor and the outcast of the depression. These crimes labelled Van Meter 18th on the public enemies list. Most of the robbers were caught but the gold remains at large. The robber named Theodore John Conrad was at the top of the United States' most wanted list at the age of 20 when he was working as a bank teller at the Society National Bank in Cleveland, Ohio. A mere boy a pretty boy with apple cheeks.. 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. Think Natural Born Killers without Rodney Dangerfield and Quentin Tarantino/Oliver Stone script/director drama. The banks lost about $482 million due to robberies, or $4,213 per offense. After the cashier reluctantly complied the men made their escape with about $32,000, most of it in gold. Karpis immediately joined them after he was paroled, and together they formed the Karpis-Barker gang. Seventy-five stab wounds were inflicted on the three employees, and the stabbings only ended when they were interrupted by the entry of three customers, who were taken to the back at gunpoint and shot in the head. 1986 FBI Miami shootout, deadly shootout between FBI and two bank robbers. When asked why he did it, his response was because it felt good, sometimes for days at a time. Exactly my point, you are 86, why not? Their point of entry was a tunnel they dug from the sewers. The gang were determined to free him, but first they needed cash to fund the break out. Bank robbery statistics from 2020 report there were zero bank robberies for 12 months in South Africa. He was acquitted in both cases, and though Missouri had other cases in which the surviving James brother could have been charged, he was never again brought to trial. However, they would discover that the bank's vault had been looted. Butch and Sundance were alleged to have been killed in 1908 in South America, though their exact fate remains in question. Theodore J. Conrad pulled off one of the biggest bank robberies in Cleveland's history. The Baker Street Robbery: Vault of Secrets | The Unredacted