Whilst incarcerated, he began to associate with prominent bank robbers such as John Dillinger, Harry Pierpoint and Homer Van Meter. 01/10/2022. 3. 5. 9. However, this was invented by a reporter who never even interviewed Sutton. 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 . Wikimedia. Shutterstock. Ill admit that Patty Hearst probably belongs more in a Most Interesting versus Greatest bank robbers list, but here you go anyway. The bells notified law enforcement of a robbery taking place in the bank, and often caused the robbers to flee without obtaining any, or at least not very much, cash for their efforts. Sam Bass 1851-1878. Exactly my point, you are 86, why not? For instance, he has robbed banks dressed as a maintenance man, a postman and a police officer. 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. They impersonated police officers, telling the Sheriff they had come to extradite Dillinger to Indiana. That would be the equivalent of approximately $5 million today. He took part in the Dillinger gangs last bank raid, in which four innocent bystanders were murdered. He did a Reddit Ask Me Anything yesterday, and it yielded some fascinating stuff. ", "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. Over the next few years he participated in several bank robberies, and it was in this period that he acquired his nickname. Often several different gangs occupied it simultaneously, though they did not coordinate their various nefarious activities. Sutton was the Cal Ripken of bank robbers, participating in over 100 bank robberies over a 35-year span. He spent his time planning heists with his new found friends, that they would commit shortly after being released. I love the story of J.L. In 1972, the name of then US President Richard Nixon was . Only one of the robbers wore a mask, the others were easily identified and arrested. He has killed more FBI agents than any other single American citizen. Dillinger broke out, however, and Hamilton joined him once again to commit more robberies. May 2, 2004, Frank and Jesse James: The Story Behind the Legend. Karpis nearly met his own violent death when the FBI located him in New Jersey. The most notorious outlaws of the Wild West have long been . As the gang became notorious, Dillinger rose to the top of the list of Public Enemies, with other members of his gang filling out most of the top ten. 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 . The story is an interesting tale of false accusation, coupled with the usual case of not-so-witting, post-heist behaviors of the robbers. Jesse was murdered there by Bob Ford in 1882 in St. Joseph. Jesse Woodson James was an American outlaw, bank and train robber, guerrilla, and leader of the James-Younger Gang. These gangsters graduated into armed robbers and became known as the Tape Bandits, of which Nelson was a respected member. After serving seven years in prison, Van Meter was paroled. Ted P. Yeatman. Dillinger was paroled in 1933, at the height of the great depression, when a convicted criminal had almost no option of employment. Williams and his gang were known for being able to do bank jobs in under a minute. Their point of entry was a tunnel they dug from the sewers. Dillinger was born in Indiana and originally had no ties to crime. The only caveat is, it's successful as long as you don't get caught. Hamilton went on to commit a spree of chaotic, yet lucrative, bank robberies with the Dillinger gang. Dillinger buried his friend at the home of Volney Davis and Edna Murray. In case you havent heard, theres a movie (1967 Arthur Penn film) that details the adventures of Bonnie and Clyde. At the time of his death, he was 27 years old. It's hard to regret something that has turned into something so good.". On September 26, 1933, a total of 10 men, including . Volney Davis was the boyfriend of Edna rabbits Murray. On a Friday in 1976, Spaggiari led a team of 20 men into the bank vault. 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. Philip And Matasareanu Were Heavily Medicated During The North Hollywood Bank Robbery Shootout. 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. He wasnt hurt, but the car was disabled, and soon after he engaged in a chase with police. He has been a guest speaker on numerous national radio and television stations and is a five time published author. Library of Congress. Elisha Converse was a founder and president of the bank in which his son was murdered in the first armed bank robbery in American history. After the second gun battle in San Bernardino County, the surviving robbers escaped into the San Bernardino Mountains. 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. Hamilton and the rest of the gang learned that Dillinger had been imprisoned in Allen County prison, in Lima, on bank robbery charges. They fired grenades, mortar rounds, and bullets into the building. 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. Security Pacific Bank, Norco, California, 1980, deadly shootout between local law enforcement and five bank robbers. On December the 10 th, just under 300 million yen was loaded into one of the bank's transportation cars. He managed to shoot his way to an escape, although his pregnant girlfriend was shot in the thigh. In early October 1864, former soldiers of the Confederacy who had fled to Canada began to gather in the small town of Saint Albans, Vermont. Wikimedia. One of the most famous bank robbers in American History, "Slick Willie" spent 11 years at Eastern State Penitentiary. 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 . Five days later they were arrested in Ohio. Barrow was killed instantly by a headshot and Parker, in the passenger seat, was sprayed with bullets soon afterwards. Jay, Clarke, Universal Press Syndicate, Chicago Tribune. The robbers weren't caught until January 1956. Most Famous Thieves in History: 1. 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. But the James brothers aren't the only bank robbers to become household names. The pair robbed banks together during the 1930s. But it was pretty low risk that way, so that was cool with me. Online. 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. 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. The earliest recorded bank heist in the States, as far as we know, was in 1798. They were never caught, and are believed to be behind similar heists in Paris during the following weeks. The men were John, Clarence, and Alfred Anglin, and they did not wear masks. It was 12:38 in the afternoon on January 13, 2006, when the call went out to police: a bank robbery in progress. Someone should have. They killed at least nine people during their spree, including civilians. The robbery was a near disaster though he still managed to make a clean getaway. Safecracker Zed meets his junkie friend after 11 years to rob a bank. At this time, unemployment in the USA had risen to 25% and many more people were resorting to crime. It goes without saying that it takes balls to rob a bank, so I guess the term brass balls would apply to Henry Starr. The driver then sped off, and since the make and model of the vehicle were not reported in the Tribune, it is impossible to determine what speeds were attained, but they were pursued by citizens and police also in automobiles. But to me, the money was the chips, thats all.. 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 Brink's-MAT robbery occurred on November 26th, 1983, when six robbers broke into the Brink's-MAT warehouse at Heathrow Airport, London. bank. When he was paroled he vowed to never see the inside of another prison. Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies. Over a dozen people were murdered by this duo until cops finally killed them. There's one . 7. . One difference of course is that he used a machine gun versus a bow and arrow. Wikimedia. The surveillance footage was issued worldwide via news channels, giving Martinez instant bank robber street cred as well as notoriety she probably didnt want. She started screaming "lock the doors, lock the doors" but I ignored it and just kept walking like nothing was happening. Several weeks later the police caught up to Andreoli in a Chester, PA diner where he was shot dead. August 6, 2012, The Last Outlaws: The Lives and Legends of Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid. In Indiana, Van Meter robbed a police station with Dillinger. One of the fake heads used by the Anglin brothers and Frank Morris bank robbers all during their 1962 escape from Alcatraz. 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 sheriff's departments. 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. It was she who labeled him as having a baby face and the sobriquet Baby Face Nelson was quickly bandied about in the press of the day when describing his crimes. There are many perks to the gangster lifestyle; long life expectancy isnt one of them. If you ever got robbed by John Dillinger you knew it because he would have told you so. 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. 5. I got out before the doors were locked, but a guy walking into the bank seconds later already found them locked. (Bank Robber) Willie Sutton, born as William Francis Sutton, was an American bank robber notorious for his prolific criminal career which lasted for forty years. Escaping successfully, Pierpont was involved in several additional bank robberies with Dillinger. On Feb. 10, 1997, Bowman and Kirkpatrick robbed the Seafirst Bank of $4,461,681.00. To me, its just natural, given that a. 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. Parker was soon arrested during a botched robbery of a hardware store, although she was soon released having not been charged. A mere boy a pretty boy with apple cheeks.. The most significant result of the St. Albans raid was the shift of public opinion in Canada regarding support for the Confederacy, with the majority turning against the Confederate activity in Canada, and there were no more raids launched across the northern border. Shootouts. October 18, 2009, Baby Face Nelson. In 1945 Sutton, along with 11 other prisoners, escaped from Eastern State in a prisoner-dug tunnel that went almost 100 feet . The two were killed in an ambush in Louisiana on May 23, 1934, and the murderous Clyde Barrow and blithe Bonnie Parker remain romanticized in the twenty-first century. Hoover wouldnt have to wait long. Valerio Viccei was the mastermind behind the heist that took place on July 12, 1987 and resulted in a robbery involving $66 million, worth about $154.7 million as of today. A posse of rangers opened fire into Barrows stolen car as he approached, at high speed, down a rural Louisiana road. 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. Bank of Bangladesh Cyber Robbery ($81M) North Korean hackers attempted to steal $1B from the . Wikimedia. The escapees then travelled to Lima County jail to liberate Dillinger. Willie Sutton loved using disguises to rob banks. 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. Where do we find this stuff? 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. 1. 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. Willie Sutton. He was famous for his likable personality and charm. 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. Christopher Goodwin, The Times (London). 1964, The Maiden Murder. Alfred was separated from his brothers and died in custody at Kilby Prison in Alabama. 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. J.L. There's no discussion. The Banco Central burglary Stolen: $71.6 million. A fresh take on sports: the biggest news and most entertaining lists. On that Friday morning, after months of planning two armed bank robbers entered and robbed the North Hollywood Bank of America branch in California. His bank robbery style became known as the Lamm Technique, and was widely imitated by other famous bank robbers, such as John Dillinger. Maybe it was how they asked for the money, their appearance or getaway. What was also known to most of the towns residents was that Green was heavily in debt, and the postmaster position, which was a political patronage job, provided an income which was insufficient for Green to pay his debts. But what the terrified customers and police didn't know was that the bold robbery was merely a carefully crafted distraction to keep . He died at the age of 52 of throat cancer, and his body was found dumped outside his mother . 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. Previously they had broken into banks after hours, hoping to avoid any injury to themselves or others. After Pretty Boy Floyd was killed Nelson inherited the designation of Public Enemy Number One. Alarm buzzers and bells, which rang loudly inside and outside of the bank, were one of the earliest. Wikimedia. J.D. 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. I wouldn't steal from an individual person because I'm not comfortable with that. Photo: Stanislav Kozlovskiy / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 3.0. In addition to violence, Baby Face Nelson also robbed banks, completing his first job by the age of 21 years old. He was sentenced to life imprisonment and spent most of his adult life in Alcatraz. They then left the bank with about $7,000 in mostly small bills. Martinez, an attractive college student, would approach a bank teller while talking on her cell phone. Johnny D. Boggs, True West Magazine. 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. During their exceedingly violent career together the pair probably robbed less than a dozen banks, and in several cases the robbery was interrupted by law enforcement, forcing the thieves to flee before securing all of the cash, often in a hail of bullets from Clyde Barrows weapon of choice, the Browning Automatic Rifle (BAR). 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. A group of men in ski masks entered the building using a key that Pace had kept after he was fired. During his first brief stint in prison, the director of research wrote the following: This fellow is a criminal of the most dangerous type. 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. ", "When my lawyer first brought all my paperwork to me, I noticed that the amount was $100 off for that particular bank. Before the American Civil War, most thefts from banks were burglaries, among them the taking of over $150,000 from the Bank of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia in 1798, when the thief or thieves entered the bank after hours, leaving no sign of force. 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. The pursuit included the local militia, who killed or captured the remaining members of the gang. Facebook boast Tesco robber jailed At the time of his death, he was only 25 years old. At the time, it was described as "the crime of the century." The gang gained entry to the warehouse from security guard Anthony Black. Along with his partner Sundance Kid, the couple was famous for famous historic robberies. Two bank robbers and one deputy died in the gun battle, nine officers were wounded. Hunter. At the time of his death, he was 31 years old. John D. Kazar, Vermont History. 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. 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. You can reach David on Twitter @david_s_grant and his website www.pulpscribbler.com. 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. January 24, 2018, Harry Pierpont Turns State Evidence In His Trial For Bank Robbery. 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 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. Hole in the floor Photo by Craig Sunter - Wikimedia. 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. They were the ultimate on the run couple living on the farthest point of the ledge. 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! He was executed at the Ohio State Penitentiary in October 1934, after a failed escape attempt left him severely wounded. ", On the final job that didn't go as planned, "The teller freaked out as soon as I turned to leave the bank. In January of 1934 Hamilton and his crew robbed over $20,000 from a bank and gunned downed an officer. In 1909, according to the Rich Hill (Missouri) Tribune edition of August 19, 1909, two perpetrators identified only as young men arrived in front of the Valley Bank of Santa Clara, California, and entered the bank. 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 asked for credentials, so they shot him and Dillinger escaped with them. The riders escaped pursuit by a posse. He used cash to buy a one-way ticket on . On April 23, 1934, the gang were confronted by police and, during a getaway, Hamilton was wounded and died shortly after. June 28, 2009, Family plot: Pretty Boy Floyd relative recalls his infamous uncle. 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 . He would often flirt with female bank tellers whom he was robbing, and would also sometimes leap over the counter, a stunt he imitated from the movies. On the afternoon of November 24, 1971, a nondescript man calling himself Dan Cooper approached the counter of Northwest Orient Airlines in Portland, Oregon. . So he told the police, the police told the bank, the bank checked the video..and they saw her take it. 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. A driver remained in the car. 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. Barrow soon killed again, after a robbery at a grocery store where he shot the owner for showing resistance; during the robbery they stole just $28 and a few groceries. Clipping from the Minneapolis Tribune, March 14, 1934. Charles Arthur, a.k.a. On September 19, 1900, members of the Wild Bunch entered the town of Winnemucca, Nevada. 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. The night watchman was murdered in this incident, and Davis was sentenced to life imprisonment. However, they would discover that the bank's vault had been looted. Nelson also demonstrated a propensity for violence and committed his first known murder during a botched tavern robbery. John Dillinger left a bloody trail all across the Midwest. When it comes to weapons, 44.8% of robbers used strong-arm tactics, 36.4% used firearms, and 8.5% used knives or cutting instruments. I enjoyed everything about it so much that one or two weeks later Id be out looking for the next job. Here are 15 of the greatest bank robbers of all time, some with a little fame, others not as much and some the basis for major motion pictures. 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 bank was closed for renovations at the time, so the gang took its time, spending days breaking in and several hours emptying boxes. Liddell: The Kingdom of God is not a democracy. I never told anyone what I was doing. This marked the beginning of forty-four minutes of endless shooting all caught live. Moments later, cops were racing through San Isidro, a leafy, affluent suburb north . This makes the act of tunneling into a bank, or other unlawful entry such as forcing the locks, technically a burglary rather than a robbery, but in the public imagination they are one and the same thing for the most part. Eventually someone caught on, but talk about not being able to keep a good man (or bad man) down. Baghdad holds the infamous record for the . "I never felt guilty because I didn't attack or assault anyone. 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.
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