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. The men beat a guard unconscious but were soon apprehended. He robbed a bank in Ohio, but was captured soon after. Nelson was arrested for theft and joyriding at age 13, and was sent to a penal school for 18 months. 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. One of the most famous bank robberies is that of the Coffeyville raid in Kansas. The only money the gang managed to take during the robbery was a few bags of nickels. 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. Wikimedia. Mikhaylich never wore a mask and at 65 it is surprising he had a successful 2-year run before finally being caught. "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." 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. When Guarino was identified as the leader of the robbery he was taken into custody at his home on Staten Island, and within a few days he arranged to work as an informant, transferring information to the FBI and New York authorities on the activities of his various mob contacts. The night watchman was murdered in this incident, and Davis was sentenced to life imprisonment. The Brink's-MAT robbery occurred on November 26th, 1983, when six robbers broke into the Brink's-MAT warehouse at Heathrow Airport, London. Kent, UK; 2006. Eventually someone caught on, but talk about not being able to keep a good man (or bad man) down. 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. Train and stagecoach robberies were more common since they could be carried out in remote locations, without having to contend with the inconvenience of local law enforcement. I have tried to rank in order of reputation and skill. List of Bank Robbers and Robberies - United Kingdom - LiquiSearch "I think morality is very subjective. Today its very hard to pull off a bank job, yet each day approximately 20 banks are robbed in the U.S. alone! Dillinger and his gang began a spree of bank robberies across Indiana, accumulating over $300,000 in total. 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. So I never let anyone (not even my wife or best friend) know what I was doing. Box 146, folder 2. The murderers and thieves, Jay Wesley Neill, who did the killings, and Robert Grady Johnson, were arrested on December 17 in a San Francisco hotel, traced there by the trail of marked bills which had paid for their transit. Shots were fired at the robbers outside while their three companions were still inside, who shot the clerk in the head and fled. Also, Starr starred in a silent movie based on his criminal activity titled A Debtor to the Law. Barrow was armed with a sawed-off shotgun. Parker was soon arrested during a botched robbery of a hardware store, although she was soon released having not been charged. Floyd grew up in Oklahoma, and was first arrested at age 18, after stealing $3.50 from a post office. The chase covered seven miles before police caught up with them. Wikimedia. Money Heist in real life: 5 largest cash heists in US history He also stole the Sheriffs new Ford car to make his getaway. Three men entered the First National Bank and demanded that the cashier, George Nixon, open the safe and give up the gold coins within. After numerous convictions were attained using his information he entered the Witness Protection Program. The Banco Central burglary Stolen: $71.6 million. The crime spree started with the robbery of the South Marion State Bank in November 1924. He began to associate with big time Kansas City mobsters. Sutton carried on his criminal career whilst on the run, but eventually ended up spending more than half his adult life in prison. For a short while, Nelson was number one on the FBI list of public enemies. People worth millions dont typically get involved in robbing banks (unless of course that is how you made your millions). 9 Million was stolen (which translates to $21.6 Million today). 25+ Attention-Stealing Bank Robbery Statistics for 2022 - CapitalCounselor 10 Things That Developed Because Of The Great Depression, Top 10 Tips From History On How You Can Survive A Depression, 10 Lesser-Known Facts About Revolutionary-Era America, 10 Ingenious Cutlery Inventions From The Victorian Era, 10 Moments In The Disturbing History Of The Jim Crow Era, Top 10 Facts And Mysteries From The Mesolithic Era, Top 10 Victorian Era Crime Solving Techniques, Top 10 Fascinating Facts And Firsts Of Historical, Top 10 High-Stakes Gamblers Who Managed to Break the Bank, 10 Controversial Toys You Might Already Have in Your Home, Ten Absolutely Vicious Fights over Inherited Fortunes, 10 Female Film Pioneers Who Shaped the Movies, Ten True Tales from Americas Toughest Prison, 10 Times Members of Secretive Societies and Organizations Spilled the Beans, 10 Common Idioms with Unexpectedly Dark Origins, 10 North American Animals with Misplaced Reputations, Top 10 Lesser Known Examples Of Mans Cruelty, 10 South African Serial Killers You Probably Dont Know, Ten Chilling Details of Already Horrific Murders, Top 10 Heartbreaking Stories About Killers On Death Row. Herman Baron Lamm was a German American bank robber who is widely considered the father of modern bank robbery. While traveling and searching for new ways to put some money in his pocket for a better life, he stumbled upon Mike . Floyd wasnt your typical gangster bank robber though; no, he was providing a service. A fellow inmate sexually assaulted him over the course of a year, until Clyde eventually cracked his skull with a metal bar. A posse of rangers opened fire into Barrows stolen car as he approached, at high speed, down a rural Louisiana road. Once the robbers reached an area near Lytle Creek they again engaged the pursuers. Notable Prisoners | Eastern State Penitentiary Historic Site Bonnie Parker and Clyde Barrow are among the most famous outlaws in history. The duo and their gang went on to rob numerous other stores and banks before their downfall. Given he was born in 1866, not likely. After serving seven years in prison, Van Meter was paroled. The robbers escaped in a car to a nearby town, where Bonnie Parker awaited them in another car, though in transferring between vehicles some of the money was dropped. Riverside deputies were assisted in the high-speed chase by officers of other agencies as it entered Sam Bernardino County. Floyd robbed more than thirty banks and killed at least ten men during his criminal career. 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. 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. Eventually, most of the Tape bandits were rounded up, including Nelson. James was not positively identified by any witnesses (though he was well known in the area), and none of the money was ever recovered. Five days later they were arrested in Ohio. Maybe its not balls; maybe cocky is the right word to describe him. Again, right tool for the job, that makes sense. Each year there are approximately 3,000-4,000 bank robberies. Still, theres got to be something to walking into the prison yard and being asked what you do and reply with Bank Robber. There are much worse things to put on your prison resume. Several weeks later the police caught up to Andreoli in a Chester, PA diner where he was shot dead. In addition to violence, Baby Face Nelson also robbed banks, completing his first job by the age of 21 years old. Stolen: $20 million - $50 million. 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. Nelson was finally cornered and killed by FBI agents in November 1934, in a gun battle in which two FBI agents were also killed. In April of 1934 they pulled off a bank job, but the getaway went awry and a shootout ensued. "No threat. It was to be delivered to a local . 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. Dillinger buried his friend at the home of Volney Davis and Edna Murray. There are many perks to the gangster lifestyle; long life expectancy isnt one of them. I loved it. 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. On September 26, 1933, a total of 10 men, including . Whether armed with guns, coordinated with a gang or using explosives, anything was on the table if it meant leaving the building with bags of money. Published Tue, Jul 31 2012 12:33 PM EDT Updated Fri, Sep 13 . As tropes in crime films go, the slick bank heist is one of the most romantic and frequent, ripe for cool cinematography, interesting costume and brazen dialogue. Dillinger was portrayed by Jonny Depp in the 2009 film Public Enemies, though the film has some major inaccuracies, such as the timeline of deaths of Pretty Boy Floyd and Baby Face Nelson. Bettmann Archive/Getty Images. 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. Most bank robbers, at least the popular ones, had characteristics that set them apart. While most of the men waited outside two men went into the bank, which was staffed by only two men at the time, father and son Greenup Bird and William Bird. 2013, Bank Robbers In Motorcar. The robbery involved a political bribery scandal, surfboard repair kits and lots of dynamite. 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. Arguably the third largest heist in history, a robbery masterminded by . In reality, they killed several. 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. He writes about pop culture and humor, he is also a degenerate gambler (which he also writes about). Nash was a jack of all trades when it came to robbing banks. "Only the Internet. Green was held in the Middlesex County Jail until April 1866, when he was hanged for committing the United States first armed bank robbery, and for the crime of murder. Is it strange that every time I walk into a bank I lightly case the joint? Oh-so-coincidentally, the next day, six bandits got into the garage with keys in hand, then tied up . 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. He was the last remaining public enemy, all the others having being captured or killed. Want to bookmark your favourite articles and stories to read or reference later? I got out before the doors were locked, but a guy walking into the bank seconds later already found them locked. 10 Famous Outlaws of The Wild West | History Hit 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. 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. No one pulled off more armed robberies in New York since Mikhaylich started his holiday spree in 2009. Over the next few years he participated in several bank robberies, and it was in this period that he acquired his nickname. He was also an associate of John Dillinger, Alvin Karpis and the Barker gang. Arthur was a modern day Robin Hood, providing a service for people in need by stealing. 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. Top 5 Most Notorious U.S. Bank Robbers | MyBankTracker 01/10/2022. In May 1936, the FBI located Karpis in New Orleans, and surrounded his car. The most famous of the gangs which used the pass was that known as the Wild Bunch, led by Robert Leroy Parker, also known as Butch Cassidy, and his partner Harry Longabaugh, known to history as the Sundance Kid. On Feb. 10, 1997, Bowman and Kirkpatrick robbed the Seafirst Bank of $4,461,681.00. 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. The pursuit included the local militia, who killed or captured the remaining members of the gang. November 1968, Why family believes Alcatraz escapees survived their journey. The safety deposit raid in 1971 is one of the most baffling in British criminal history, and rumours that its true purpose has been covered up by the British establishment . Knightsbridge Security Deposit Robbery: The "Italian" Work. The riders escaped pursuit by a posse. Sutton was once asked by a reporter why he robbed banks. 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. However, he has reportedly already died and was never brought to justice. Pierpont was found guilty and sentenced to a minimum of ten years in the Indiana Reformatory. During one robbery Nelson was reported to have sprayed innocent bystanders with machine gun bullets while screaming wildly. Despite FFR1000 charged, she's an art student with day jobs e.g. 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. The remaining three were taken into custody. When a group of armed robbers burst into a Buenos Aires bank on Jan.13, 2006, they immediately grabbed the attention of investigators, seasoned hostage negotiators and media outlets, who broadcast the tense standoff with police throughout Argentina. 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. Successful bank robber explains how he never got caught Because no bodies were ever found, the US Marshal service still considers the escape to be an open case. Dar Es Salaam Bank - Take the Money and Stroll. Here are our sources: The Canadian View of the Confederate Raid on Saint Albans. In the 1920s a surge of bank robberies across the United States began which continued through the Great Depression of the 1930s. The Great Northfield, Minnesota, Raid. June 28, 2009, Family plot: Pretty Boy Floyd relative recalls his infamous uncle. He started with several banks in New York City and then moved to New Jersey before coming back to the city where he would eventually get caught driving a stolen delivery car. Authorities in four states joined in the search for the fugitives. Hamilton and the rest of the gang learned that Dillinger had been imprisoned in Allen County prison, in Lima, on bank robbery charges. The surveillance footage was issued worldwide via news channels, giving Martinez instant bank robber street cred as well as notoriety she probably didnt want. 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. The suspect's disappearance was a mystery that lasted 52 years - a few months longer than he did. Willie Sutton. Baron Lamm died, aged 40, after a botched bank robbery when his gang crashed their getaway car. He was later transferred to the State Prison, where he worked out an escape plan with John Dillinger. All three were identified by persons who knew them and subsequently captured by the Cleveland police. At the time of his death, he was 31 years old. 1798: America's First Bank Heist Was Nearly Perfect - History Things Only one of the robbers wore a mask, the others were easily identified and arrested. Martinez and her boyfriend would rob 4 banks in Northern Virginia, stealing just under $50,000 before they got caught and prosecuted. Two bank robbers and one deputy died in the gun battle, nine officers were wounded. Hunter robbed his first bank when he was 86 years old. Frank Nash knocked over 200 banks in his time and is known by many as the most successful bank robber of all time. 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. bank. Whilst incarcerated he became embittered against society, and began to mix with notorious criminals such as Harry Pierpoint and James Oklahoma Jack Clark. Securitas Depot Robbery. In 1972, the name of then US President Richard Nixon was . ", On morals, and whether he regrets what he did. Unbeknownst to the three was that they were being monitored by security cameras, the film from which was broadcast that night on national television. 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. Votes: 20,895 | Gross: $0.42M Dillinger buried his friend at the home of Volney Davis and Edna Murray. Mug shot of Lester Gillis, alias George Nelson, known to history as Baby Face Nelson. However, this was invented by a reporter who never even interviewed Sutton. They would commonly participate in gun battles with police, in which innocent bystanders were often killed. Security Pacific Bank, Norco, California, 1980, deadly shootout between local law enforcement and five bank robbers. I probably averaged around $5k per bank. They were never caught, and are believed to be behind similar heists in Paris during the following weeks. Ill admit that Patty Hearst probably belongs more in a Most Interesting versus Greatest bank robbers list, but here you go anyway. The father of a man who was kidnapped was friends with President Franklin D Roosevelt, and as a result the FBI stepped up their efforts greatly to foil this type of crime. Sam Bass 1851-1878. Jay, Clarke, Universal Press Syndicate, Chicago Tribune. 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. Father and Son Help Crack Unsolved 1969 Bank Robbery His bank robbery style became known as the Lamm Technique, and was widely imitated by other famous bank robbers, such as John Dillinger. 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. No deliberation. In December a robbery attempt was foiled when a bank worker pushed an alarm button, forcing the would-be robbers to flee empty-handed, but a week later they were more successful at a bank in Upland, Indiana. Police caught him 15 minutes later with the knife and 410 in cash stolen from a Tesco in King's Lynn, Norfolk. It was September 21, 1991. As such, they've always been pretty intriguing, especially how old-fashioned they are in an age of hacking and cryptocurrencies. The World Trade Center employees had already been subdued. In addition to being a master bank robber he was also a master of escaping from prison (which is good when your job is robbing banks on the outside). He wasnt hurt, but the car was disabled, and soon after he engaged in a chase with police. 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.. For John Hamilton, robbing banks wasnt his first choice. The cab driver sets American Zed up with Zoe in his Paris hotel. But the James brothers aren't the only bank robbers to become household names. He would simply slide a piece of paper with the word ROBBERY on it to the teller. Dale Ingram, Tulsa World. At the time of his death, he was only 25 years old. Amazingly, they were never caught. October 18, 2009, Baby Face Nelson. On that Friday morning, after months of planning two armed bank robbers entered and robbed the North Hollywood Bank of America branch in California. On August 23rd, 1934, Van Meter was ambushed by four police officers and brutally gunned down. John Hamilton was hit and died shortly after. He is estimated to have robbed over 100 banks, stealing around $2 million. In yet another gun battle with police, a second robber was killed. Rebecca Seales, The Daily Mail. It was the largest bank robbery in U.S. history at the time. The gang were determined to free him, but first they needed cash to fund the break out. The only caveat is, it's successful as long as you don't get caught. Safecracker Zed meets his junkie friend after 11 years to rob a bank. Who wouldnt be curious? On February 13, 1866, a Tuesday, a group of riders rode into Liberty, Missouri. He conned his way into a program that allowed him out of prison during the day to attend the University of Michigan. 2002, Riding with Bonnie and Clyde. The Rich Hill Tribune, August 19, 1909. He remained on the run for three years before crashing his car in thick fog. The Norco shootout in the town of that name in California took place on May 9, 1980, between five bank robbers and deputies of the Riverside County and later San Bernardino County sheriffs departments. Ted Conrad was working as a teller at the . It was 1976 in Beirut. Answer (1 of 2): Let the Countdown begin: 10. Modern day pop culture has kept the tradition alive with movies such as Point Break, HEAT and Reservoir Dogs. Martinez, an attractive college student, would approach a bank teller while talking on her cell phone. Online, The Boss: J. Edgar Hoover and the Great American Inquisition. Karpis was raised in Kansas and began associating with criminals from an early age. ", "No. Bass's one and only big haul was in September of . David lives and works in New York City. After a bank robbery it wasnt uncommon to find Pretty Boy handing out bags of cash to people and ripping up mortgage papers also stolen from the bank. 9. Top 10 Bank Robberies Who Successfully Made It - EnkiVillage Karpis immediately joined them after he was paroled, and together they formed the Karpis-Barker gang. They remained at large until two days later when they were encountered in the general region of the second shootout. 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. "Part of my process did begin with how poorly I thought rich people handled their money. They fled to the north. 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. Whilst incarcerated, he began to associate with prominent bank robbers such as John Dillinger, Harry Pierpoint and Homer Van Meter. 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. But it was pretty low risk that way, so that was cool with me. In 1976, when Lebanon was in the midst of a civil war, a group of robbers decided to cash in on the confusion. The Soboba Grab and Dash was a casino heist straight out of the Hollywood movies. FBI. August 3, 2012, 3 Gunmen Rob Guards of $1.6 Million at World Trade Center Bank. 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. Taking place in Tokyo, it was the greatest bank job in the history of Japan. 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. As the sons of migrant farmworkers, they had often visited Michigan in the spring and early summer as their parents picked fruit. He was shot dozens of times, and several of his fingers were blown off. The 10 Weirdest Unsolved Heists In History - Ranker The plan was pretty simply stay out of our way or die. 8 Candice Rose Martinez. Volney Davis. Two of them, John and Clarence, were transferred within the federal prison system after attempting to escape from Atlanta, first to Leavenworth, where they also attempted to escape, and finally to the allegedly escape-proof prison at Alcatraz. He was cornered by over 200 police, and shot himself in the head to avoid punishment. 10 Of The Most Famous Bank Robberies In America Someone should have. 2. The Central Bank of Iraq Robbery - $920 million. He was buried by Dillinger. The Great Buenos Aires Bank Heist | GQ 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. He was executed at the Ohio State Penitentiary in October 1934, after a failed escape attempt left him severely wounded.