9. Ted P. Yeatman. The victim said: He was good looking, hardly more than a boy. Hunter. Grim bank officials told Hunt that someone had . The gang soon became one of the most formidable in the country, brutally murdering anyone who stood in their way as they robbed banks, even innocent bystanders. One of the most famous bank robbers in American History, "Slick Willie" spent 11 years at Eastern State Penitentiary. World's 10 Biggest Bank Robberies of All Time! - Al Bawaba The surveillance footage was issued worldwide via news channels, giving Martinez instant bank robber street cred as well as notoriety she probably didnt want. FBI. However, this was invented by a reporter who never even interviewed Sutton. 25+ Attention-Stealing Bank Robbery Statistics for 2022 - CapitalCounselor Two years later, the first successful getaway by automobile following a bank robbery took place in France. At the time of his death, he was 27 years old. By 1909 automobiles were being used to race across the country, as did this Model T, and to rob banks. Want to bookmark your favourite articles and stories to read or reference later? Williams and his gang were known for being able to do bank jobs in under a minute. One of the most famous bank robberies is that of the Coffeyville raid in Kansas. The Birds were then ordered into the vault and the two men left. Before he became one of the most wanted outlaws in the west, Cassidy was born as Robert Leroy Parker in Utah. Other aspects involved each gang member being assigned a job such vault man, driver or lobby man. 7. . Eventually the F.B.I. To me, its just natural, given that a bank has a vault full of cash and money makes the world go around. September 25, 1992, The Norco Bank Robbery. Robert Grady Johnson (front ) and Jay Wesley Neill during the legal procedures which convicted them of the Geronimo bank robbery and murders. I loved it. In 1997, Allen Pace was fired from Dunbar Armored, Inc. - an armored car courier service often used by banks - for tampering with a company vehicle. Dillinger was born in Indiana and originally had no ties to crime. Whilst incarcerated, he began to associate with prominent bank robbers such as John Dillinger, Harry Pierpoint and Homer Van Meter. Notorious Bank Robbers in History - ThoughtCo 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. If you want to know the best heist films you should definitely watch our picks for the best Bank Robbery movies.Discover the best popcorn machine: https:/. Clyde Barrow and Bonnie Parker were ambushed, in May 1934. Online, The Boss: J. Edgar Hoover and the Great American Inquisition. Kent, UK; 2006. Robbing a bank is the ultimate risk and reward, full of thrills, hard cash and consequences if caught. After the death of John Dillinger, Floyd was elevated to Public Enemy Number One by the FBI. Dillinger was charged; however, many claim it was Hamilton who pulled the trigger. John "Red" Hamilton. June 28, 2009, Family plot: Pretty Boy Floyd relative recalls his infamous uncle. There are many perks to the gangster lifestyle; long life expectancy isnt one of them. Father and Son Help Crack Unsolved 1969 Bank Robbery He aligned himself with Baby Face Nelson and Tommy Carroll to rob a Michigan bank, escaping with $30,000. J.L. The gang robbed the First Nation Bank, in St. Marys Ohio, escaping with $14,000. The Most Notable Train Robberies In The Wild West - Grunge.com 1. 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. She started screaming "lock the doors, lock the doors" but I ignored it and just kept walking like nothing was happening. After robbing the wife of the Chicago mayor, he earned his nickname. Tulsa World. As the sons of migrant farmworkers, they had often visited Michigan in the spring and early summer as their parents picked fruit. Sutton carried on his criminal career whilst on the run, but eventually ended up spending more than half his adult life in prison. During the heist, a police officer was gunned down and Dillinger was officially charged with the murder, even though many witnesses named Hamilton as the shooter. It was September 21, 1991. He ended up being sentenced to a long prison term for a train robbery. 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. He is the mastermind behind the Socit Gnrale Bank heist. Here are some of the most notorious bank robberies or robbers in American history. 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"I think morality is very subjective. 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. Previously they had broken into banks after hours, hoping to avoid any injury to themselves or others. ", On how he didn't carry a gun or threaten people. Over the next few years he participated in several bank robberies, and it was in this period that he acquired his nickname. Hole in the floor Photo by Craig Sunter - Wikimedia. Before they left, the Termites started a fire that set off the sprinkler system and flooded the building. The remaining three were taken into custody. He is renowned for his brilliant and efficient style, planning and executing robberies like military operations. He also stole the Sheriffs new Ford car to make his getaway. The robbers were armed with rifles, handguns, and shotguns. The heist inspired three films: 10 Million Dollar Getaway, the Big Heist, and Goodfellas. In reality, they killed several. The Baker Street Robbery: Vault of Secrets | The Unredacted I got out before the doors were locked, but a guy walking into the bank seconds later already found them locked. Two bank robbers and one deputy died in the gun battle, nine officers were wounded. Answer (1 of 2): Let the Countdown begin: 10. But to me, the money was the chips, thats all.. The robbers were armed with rifles, handguns, and shotguns. Dillinger and his gang began a spree of bank robberies across Indiana, accumulating over $300,000 in total. Alarm buzzers and bells, which rang loudly inside and outside of the bank, were one of the earliest. May 6, 1925, Its an old up! Homer Van Meter was a young member of John Dillingers gang, with a reputation for being particularly bloodthirsty. Train robberies. Jamie founded Listverse due to an insatiable desire to share fascinating, obscure, and bizarre facts. After being apprehended again, he was sentenced to 50 years imprisonment. Green had come to rob the bank, and the fact that he was so well known meant that he could not leave behind any witnesses. Knightsbridge Security Deposit Robbery: The "Italian" Work. These gangsters graduated into armed robbers and became known as the Tape Bandits, of which Nelson was a respected member. Most bank robbers, at least the popular ones, had characteristics that set them apart. 10 Most Incredible Bank Heists in History - Business Insider 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. 1964, The Maiden Murder. He also put his men through rehearsals using full scale mock ups of the bank interior, and didnt commit the actual robbery unless he felt sure his gang knew exactly what they were doing. The raiders protested that the action had been a legitimate act of war and the Canadian authorities released them but returned the money to Saint Albans. Dar Es Salaam Bank - Take the Money and Stroll. Facebook boast Tesco robber jailed 2003, The Great Northfield Raid Revisited. He ran errands for gangsters when he was 10 years old, and soon garnered a reputation for reliability. Eventually someone caught on, but talk about not being able to keep a good man (or bad man) down. Turns out she was talking with her accomplice, a boyfriend driving the getaway car outside the banks. Fred Barker and his mother were gunned down by the FBI in their homes, in 1935. Dillinger was killed in Chicago in 1934, and more than 15,000 people waited in line to view his body before his internment in Crown Hill Cemetery in Indianapolis, Indiana. However, they would discover that the bank's vault had been looted. Library of Congress. Once the driver realized what was happening, he manipulated the vehicles controls to cause the engine to stall, after they had covered the seven miles aforementioned, and the robbers were forced to continue their flight on foot. Two bank robbers and one deputy died in the gun battle, nine officers were wounded. The well-armed gangs often outgunned the police, and violent crime took an upsurge. There has to be some disappointment that comes with getting caught because cameras picked up the license plate of a stolen getaway car. I was more alive when I was inside a bank, robbing it, than at any other time in my life. FBI agent Melvin Purvis hunted down Pretty Boy Floyd to an Ohio field. Green was the local postmaster and was of course well known to nearly all of the towns citizens, including Frank. 10 Famous Depression-era Bank Robbers - Listverse (2023) 3. 3. During their spree, they killed around 13 lawmen, although Dillinger was never proven to have killed anyone. However, he has reportedly already died and was never brought to justice. 1986 FBI Miami shootout, deadly shootout between FBI and two bank robbers. 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 15 Greatest Bank Robbers of All Time | TheRichest After a failed escape attempt, and after serving 7 years, he applied for a 20 month leave of absence which was granted. He also participated in many high profile bank robberies until his death at the Battle of Barrington. No deliberation. 5. Today its very hard to pull off a bank job, yet each day approximately 20 banks are robbed in the U.S. alone! In 1984, the First National Bank of Chattanooga in Geronimo, Oklahoma, was the site of one of the most vicious bank robberies in American history on December 14 of that year. Wikimedia. They were never caught, and are believed to be behind similar heists in Paris during the following weeks. He was nicknamed slick for the many disguises he wore on the job. 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 were both convicted of the crimes in 1985 and sentenced to death for capital murder and several other crimes in connection with the robbery. Thom Hatch. Though he's probably one of Texas's most famous outlaws, Sam Bass is widely regarded to have been a rather inept criminal. 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. He escaped from prison but was sentenced, in absentia, to 12-15 years behind bars. Rebecca Seales, The Daily Mail. Sutton was the Cal Ripken of bank robbers, participating in over 100 bank robberies over a 35-year span. The only money the gang managed to take during the robbery was a few bags of nickels. 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. Bettmann Archive/Getty Images. Philip And Matasareanu Were Heavily Medicated During The North Hollywood Bank Robbery Shootout. Hamilton, along with Dillinger, were public enemy number one (or one and two I guess) as their gang robbed several banks around the Chicago area. After staying unidentified for more than 50 years, an infamous bank robber from the USA has finally been identified. 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. They fired grenades, mortar rounds, and bullets into the building. 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. Butch and Sundance were alleged to have been killed in 1908 in South America, though their exact fate remains in question. At this time, unemployment in the USA had risen to 25% and many more people were resorting to crime. Exactly my point, you are 86, why not? Journalist Smith (Now Go to Hell) delivers a rollicking portrait of his cousin Daniel David Courson, the scion of a prominent evangelical Christian family who is also a notorious bank robber.According to Smith, the Coursons are "a gilded evangelical Christian Camelot," with members serving as megachurch pastors and missionaries in California and Oregon and . Only one of the robbers wore a mask, the others were easily identified and arrested. Nelson was arrested for theft and joyriding at age 13, and was sent to a penal school for 18 months. In 1998, robbers struck the Bank of America at 1 World Trade Center in New York City, a feat believed to be impossible after the increase in security at the complex following the bombing in 1993. The bank was closed for renovations at the time, so the gang took its time, spending days breaking in and several hours emptying boxes. In January, 1934, the gang robbed a bank in Chicago escaping with $20,376. As a punishment, Van Meter spent two months in solitary confinement where he was severely beaten by guards. 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This is how it works in America because the amount of money a bank gives up ($5-$7k on average) per bank robbery is infinitely less than the amount of business they'd lose if shit got wild in a bank full of customers. The Rich Hill Tribune, August 19, 1909. I never told anyone what I was doing. They were the ultimate on the run couple living on the farthest point of the ledge. Baron Lamm died, aged 40, after a botched bank robbery when his gang crashed their getaway car. Townspeople raised the alarm and armed men were awaiting the robbers as they exited the bank. She just shrugged -- palms up like a little kid -- and said, "That's all I got." ", "When my lawyer first brought all my paperwork to me, I noticed that the amount was $100 off for that particular bank. Karpis immediately joined them after he was paroled, and together they formed the Karpis-Barker gang. Is it strange that every time I walk into a bank I lightly case the joint? He was arrested in Dayton, Ohio, transferred to the Allen County Jail, and escaped with the aid of gang members who dressed as Indiana policemen and killed Allen County, Sheriff Jess Sarber. 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. 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. In 1881, the brothers returned to Missouri. D.B. Cooper Hijacking FBI - Federal Bureau Of Investigation Successful bank robber explains how he never got caught I don't use that to make bank robbery "okay" but that's what made it okay for me at the time. He died at the age of 52 of throat cancer, and his body was found dumped outside his mother . J.D. The story is an interesting tale of false accusation, coupled with the usual case of not-so-witting, post-heist behaviors of the robbers. Butch Cassidy: Butch Cassidy was the leader of one of the famous robbery gangs, Wild Butch Gang. James was not positively identified by any witnesses (though he was well known in the area), and none of the money was ever recovered. Dillinger wanted to be more famous than Capone and let everyone know who he was. 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. Baby Face didnt have a long career, killed by federal agents at the age of 25. The Wild Bunch favored robbing trains, hoping to avoid shootouts in the aftermath of a robbery, and it has been falsely reported that during their career the gang never killed anyone in the course of one of their crimes. Considered to be the most sensational bank robberies in India to date. On October 19 the citizens of the town were held at gunpoint on the town common while the raiders robbed the banks, drove off the towns horses to discourage pursuit, and fled to Canada. 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. The British Bank of the Middle East Robbery. Although Jesse James was never tried for any of his crimes, his brother Frank was twice, acquitted both times. The group soon became the hot target of the . Hamilton and the rest of the gang learned that Dillinger had been imprisoned in Allen County prison, in Lima, on bank robbery charges. A crowd gathers at Chicagos Biograph theater after the death of John Dillinger, July 22, 1934. Who are some famous bank robbers that got away with the money? He was charged with the murder of a police officer during his criminal career, though many witnesses insisted John Hamilton performed the killing. Bank robbery is a federal crime in the United States, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation defines the act of robbery as taking or attempting to take property through the use of, or the implied use of force. Volney Davis was the boyfriend of Edna "rabbits" Murray. 01/10/2022. He has been a guest speaker on numerous national radio and television stations and is a five time published author. Wikimedia. The pair robbed numerous banks as well as some gas stations and stores in rural areas. He had black hair and a baby face. He committed his first major robbery in the 1920s, burglarizing a hospital in Tulsa. On the afternoon of November 24, 1971, a nondescript man calling himself Dan Cooper approached the counter of Northwest Orient Airlines in Portland, Oregon. Liddell: The Kingdom of God is not a democracy. It was later determined that Hamilton left over $300 in quarters and half-dollars in the cash drawers. They fled to the north. Stolen: 53.1 million ($83 million) This brazen heist remains the largest cash robbery in British history and was executed with a more violent vision . Cattle rustling. Two of them survived, as did a fourteen-month-old child, who was not shot because the robbers ammunition ran out. The night watchman was murdered in this incident, and Davis was sentenced to life imprisonment. For a short while, Nelson was number one on the FBI list of public enemies. Read through and the next time you visit your bank, remember to take a look up and smile for the camera. Modern day pop culture has kept the tradition alive with movies such as Point Break, HEAT and Reservoir Dogs. Riverside deputies were assisted in the high-speed chase by officers of other agencies as it entered Sam Bernardino County. The law eventually caught up with Floyd, and in 1930, he was arrested and charged with the robbery of the Sylvania Ohio Bank. The banks, however, consider this kind of theft an acceptable loss, so that was okay with me being part of the loss that they consider acceptable. Notorious Wild West Outlaw Butch Cassidy Robbed This Idaho Bank And The most famous line about robbing banks was coined by Willie Sutton when asked why he continued to rob banks: Because thats where the money is.. Top 10 Bank Robberies Who Successfully Made It - EnkiVillage He did a Reddit Ask Me Anything yesterday, and it yielded some fascinating stuff. No one pulled off more armed robberies in New York since Mikhaylich started his holiday spree in 2009. These were shown in the newspapers to give the impression the duo were enjoying a lavish lifestyle, when in fact they lived under immense stress and were constantly on the run. OK, in terms of actual . On September 26, 1933, a total of 10 men, including Hamilton, escaped using smuggled guns from the recently paroled John Dillinger. They then left the bank with about $7,000 in mostly small bills. Martinez and her boyfriend would rob 4 banks in Northern Virginia, stealing just under $50,000 before they got caught and prosecuted. The Brink's-MAT robbery occurred on November 26th, 1983, when six robbers broke into the Brink's-MAT warehouse at Heathrow Airport, London. 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. 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. On April 23, 1934, the gang were confronted by police and, during a getaway, Hamilton was wounded and died shortly after. Jesse James. Photo: Stanislav Kozlovskiy / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 3.0. His bank robbery style became known as the Lamm Technique, and was widely imitated by other famous bank robbers, such as John Dillinger. Moments later, cops were racing through San Isidro, a leafy, affluent suburb north . Prior to that action, a bank robber in Ohio could escape to a bordering state such as Kentucky or Indiana and avoid pursuit and arrest. He managed to shoot his way to an escape, although his pregnant girlfriend was shot in the thigh. RCDSA. Hoover wouldnt have to wait long. Nelson remained on the run with his wife, usually staying at the auto camps which were common in the 1930s. Here are 10 of the most famous and notorious of these outlaws of the Wild West. The robbers shot up more than two dozen patrol cars and damaged a police helicopter. 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. The small explosion occurred in public outside the bank, causing witnesses to take notice of the man. 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. He would simply slide a piece of paper with the word ROBBERY on it to the teller. Hamilton began his criminal career by robbing a gas station in Indiana, and being sentenced to a very long prison term of 25 years. "Part of my process did begin with how poorly I thought rich people handled their money. Ruth Brown, New York Post. 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. Editorial Reviews. 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. Shootouts. Wikimedia. Descriptions of some of the robbers led to arrests and authorities learned of plans for further robberies during interrogations, but the police were unable to locate the ringleader of the group, Harry Pierpont. 5 of History's Great Bank Robberies | Mental Floss He was executed at the Ohio State Penitentiary in October 1934, after a failed escape attempt left him severely wounded. Is it strange that every time I walk into a bank I lightly case the joint? Think Natural Born Killers without Rodney Dangerfield and Quentin Tarantino/Oliver Stone script/director drama. 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. You can reach David on Twitter @david_s_grant and his website www.pulpscribbler.com. Top 5 Bank Robbery Movies - YouTube 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 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. The 2005 Banco Central burglary in Fortaleza, Brazil, was once recognized by Guinness Book of World Records as the world's greatest bank robbery. At the time of the robbery, Jesse James was bedridden as he recovered from a chest wound, and while it is likely that the thieves were members of the gang with which Jesse later rode, he was most likely not present at the robbery which later became known as his first. Floyd wasnt your typical gangster bank robber though; no, he was providing a service. AP. Nelson decided to form and run his own gang of bank robbers in 1933, on October 3 they robbed the First National Bank of Brainerd, Minnesota, during which Nelson used a Thompson submachine gun to fire indiscriminately at bystanders on the street as they made their escape.