Authorities in four states joined in the search for the fugitives. Editorial Reviews. 9. The Youngers never admitted that Jesse and Frank James were part of the foiled robbery. Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies. Karpis was raised in Kansas and began associating with criminals from an early age. These ruthless thieves would burst in and ransack the bank, usually forcing a manager to open the vault. Lee Murray, who is thought to be the mastermind behind this robbery was caught in 2010 in Morocco. 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. Geronimo bank robbery in Geronimo, Oklahoma, 1984, resulted in the deaths of three bank employees and one customer. Nash was a jack of all trades when it came to robbing banks. I got out before the doors were locked, but a guy walking into the bank seconds later already found them locked. Cassidy ordered the bank vault's location and made away with a box full of money amounting to more than twenty thousand dollars. By 1932 Nelson had been caught, convicted, and sentenced to prison, though he escaped during a prison transfer in 1932. Theodore J. Conrad pulled off one of the biggest bank robberies in Cleveland's history. An illustration from an 1882 book on the lives of Frank and Jesse James and the Younger brothers. 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. "No threat. On April 23, 1934, the gang were confronted by police and, during a getaway, Hamilton was wounded and died shortly after. The fugitive behind one of America's most notorious bank robberies has been identified after a 52-year search, law enforcement officials have announced. He is the mastermind behind the Socit Gnrale Bank heist. The heist inspired three films: 10 Million Dollar Getaway, the Big Heist, and Goodfellas. Needless to say, she got fired. The story is an interesting tale of false accusation, coupled with the usual case of not-so-witting, post-heist behaviors of the robbers. Whoever the culprits had been, they had burrowed through 100 feet of soil from a nearby sewer drain, and had drilled . Knightsbridge Security Deposit Robbery of $98 Million, 1987. North Hollywood shootout, 1997, deadly . 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. Lebanon's civil war was in full swing. Robbing a bank is the ultimate risk and reward, full of thrills, hard cash and consequences if caught. Answer (1 of 2): Let the Countdown begin: 10. Beginning in the 1930s, and in some cases even earlier in larger cities and towns, banks installed security mechanisms to protect themselves and their employees from robberies. 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. Ted P. Yeatman. Famous American Bank Robbers. Jesse James fame was so widespread that many towns claim to have been robbed by him, despite little evidence of it being true. Volney Davis. Although rumored to have been a nice guy, he murdered his partner, Nollie Humpy Wortman, after they completed a job. Sutton carried on his criminal career whilst on the run, but eventually ended up spending more than half his adult life in prison. Photo: Stanislav Kozlovskiy / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 3.0. On the afternoon of November 24, 1971, a nondescript man calling himself Dan Cooper approached the counter of Northwest Orient Airlines in Portland, Oregon. The brothers were sentenced on federal charges and later received additional time on state charges. 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. Train robberies. 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. After the second gun battle in San Bernardino County, the surviving robbers escaped into the San Bernardino Mountains. The cab driver sets American Zed up with Zoe in his Paris hotel. He began to associate with big time Kansas City mobsters. After ensuring that the teenager was alone in the bank, Green shot him in the back of the head and left with about $5,000. The robbers weren't caught until January 1956. 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. A driver remained in the car. When those convictions were overturned (they had been tried together) they have tried again, in separate trials, and again both were convicted. He conned his way into a program that allowed him out of prison during the day to attend the University of Michigan. Once the robbers reached an area near Lytle Creek they again engaged the pursuers. Clyde Barrow and Bonnie Parker left a trail of dead lawmen and bystanders in their wake during their crime spree of robbery and murder. Dar Es Salaam Bank - Take the Money and Stroll. His reply was: Because thats where the money is. He was executed at the Oklahoma State Penitentiary in 2002, by lethal injection. Eric A. Aguilera and his accomplish Luda Ramos robbed The Soboba Casino in Las Vegas in 2005. Bank robbery statistics from 2020 report there were zero bank robberies for 12 months in South Africa. Hunter. The robbers left with $6,700 in cash, unwittingly leaving behind another $9,000 safely hidden in file cabinets. As robbers and thieves, nobody was better than the comparatively low-profile Newton and his brothers, who later were popularized in a middling 1998 movie as "The Newton Boys."In a blink of about five years in the 1920s, the Newtons (and an occasional accomplice) pulled off about 70 bank heists (give or take a dozen), ripped off six trains and, in their pice de rsistance, cleared somewhere . I'd always thought, "If I was that rich, I could change the world instead of just piling up cash." 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. 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. Whilst in prison he tried to escape with another prisoner. 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. I don't use that to make bank robbery "okay" but that's what made it okay for me at the time. The plan was pretty simply stay out of our way or die. Wikimedia. 3. One of the most famous bank robberies is that of the Coffeyville raid in Kansas. Jesse was murdered there by Bob Ford in 1882 in St. Joseph. Jesse James didnt spread the wealth, he was in it for himself and sometimes that meant a few eggs would be broken (he mistakenly killed a cashier during a heist in Missouri). I told him I was 100% sure that they had the amount wrong. FBI agent Melvin Purvis hunted down Pretty Boy Floyd to an Ohio field. Willie Sutton loved using disguises to rob banks. Hamilton began his criminal career by robbing a gas station in Indiana, and being sentenced to a very long prison term of 25 years. They remained at large until two days later when they were encountered in the general region of the second shootout. 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. It goes without saying that it takes balls to rob a bank, so I guess the term brass balls would apply to Henry Starr. Pretty Boy Floyd believed in having the right tool for the job, which is why he always brought his machine gun to a bank job. In Indiana, Van Meter robbed a police station with Dillinger. J.D. In addition, banks lost an estimated $482 million due to robberies. The bank was closed for renovations at the time, so the gang took its time, spending days breaking in and several hours emptying boxes. Many of the crimes which were attributed to Jesse James were done so after his death, and sometimes by other criminals in the hope of throwing off pursuit. These gangsters graduated into armed robbers and became known as the Tape Bandits, of which Nelson was a respected member. The trio then proceeded to rob a bank in Minnesota for $32,000. He was never caught and the loot from the heist was never found. They were the ultimate on the run couple living on the farthest point of the ledge. His means of robbing banks were never violent; in fact the machine gun he carried was empty. Rebecca Seales, The Daily Mail. It's hard to regret something that has turned into something so good.". The most notorious outlaws of the Wild West have long been . For John Hamilton, robbing banks wasnt his first choice. Facebook boast Tesco robber jailed 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. Most historians agree she was completely smitten with him, and willingly joined him as his partner in crime. 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. This led Dillinger to be admired by many who considered the banks who foreclosed on homes and farms as the real enemy. I look for video cameras, security guard positioning and speculate where the vault is. 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. "She also pocketed a $100 bill for herself. After Pretty Boy Floyd was killed Nelson inherited the designation of Public Enemy Number One. RCDSA. $5 Million of it was stolen in cash while $875,000 was in Jewels and at the time of the crime made it the largest cash robbery to happen in American History. 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 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. They killed at least nine people during their spree, including civilians. After the robbery, they went their separate ways and headed back to their homes. 3. Pierpont was found guilty and sentenced to a minimum of ten years in the Indiana Reformatory. They fled to the north. 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. I have tried to rank in order of reputation and skill. He is estimated to have robbed over 100 banks, stealing around $2 million. The Great Depression began with the Wall Street crash in 1929, and lasted well into the following decades. Central Bank of Iraq by urrizato - Wikimedia. Throughout history, banks have continually upgraded their security systems, equipment and procedures. Anyway, here are the stories of five famous bank robberies. Dillinger buried his friend at the home of Volney Davis and Edna Murray. 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. He was later transferred to the State Prison, where he worked out an escape plan with John Dillinger. 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. 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. 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. 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. In addition to violence, Baby Face Nelson also robbed banks, completing his first job by the age of 21 years old. 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. 1. After participating in numerous small time robberies, he was eventually jailed for 5 years. 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. 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. "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, it was described as "the crime of the century." The gang gained entry to the warehouse from security guard Anthony Black. John Dillinger (June 22, 1903-July 22, 1934) While the Great Depression that ravaged the 1930s created a perfect storm that propagated the country with scores of robbers looking to make an easy . When asked why he did it, his response was because it felt good, sometimes for days at a time. Pretty ballsy on her part. He was jailed for four years last April. He surrendered peacefully although no agents had brought any handcuffs, as they assumed Karpis would fight to the death. 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 year was 2005 and at only 19 years of age, the "Cell Phone Bandit," Candice Rose Martinez, was famous for her bank robbery execution. It was one of the more successful bank robberies for Bonnie and Clyde, who preferred to rob grocery stores, gas stations, and other less lucrative targets. John Dillinger spent nine years in prison for assault and battery committed while he was robbing a grocery store, and spent his time there being tutored in the art of bank robbery. After being on the run for two years, Nelson robbed his first major bank. 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). The night watchman was murdered in this incident, and Davis was sentenced to life imprisonment. He was sentenced to life imprisonment and spent most of his adult life in Alcatraz. When he was 19, he participated in a botched burglary and was imprisoned for 10 years. The only money the gang managed to take during the robbery was a few bags of nickels. As it became evident that Green was paying off his debts, the townspeople began to wonder where the money had come from. 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. The young men produced shotguns and ordered the chief cashier, a man named Birge, and his aides to hand over all available cash. 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. The following year he robbed a bank in Grand Haven, Michigan. 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 . 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. For his third escape, he dressed as a prison guard and carried a ladder to the prison wall at night; when the searchlight hit him he shouted: its ok! and nobody stopped him. 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. The banks lost about $482 million due to robberies, or $4,213 per offense. He is renowned for his brilliant and efficient style, planning and executing robberies like military operations. Jamie founded Listverse due to an insatiable desire to share fascinating, obscure, and bizarre facts. Butch Cassidy (seated at right) and the Wild Bunch, one of several gangs which used Hole in the Wall Pass as a hideout. As a young man, Van Meter became involved in crime after working as a waiter for a short while. I guess you can blame Stockholm Syndrome here, but this is pretty crazy even to me (someone that totally believes Johnny Utah would join the Dead Presidents in their bank robbing adventures). Oh-so-coincidentally, the next day, six bandits got into the garage with keys in hand, then tied up . Stolen: $20 million - $50 million. Over the years souvenir hunters chipped away pieces from his headstone, leading it to be replaced several times, often coinciding with the release of yet another film about his career. But many robbers do find themselves behind bars eventually. Herman Baron Lamm was a German American bank robber who is widely considered the father of modern bank robbery. Jesse James. He was the last remaining public enemy, all the others having being captured or killed. I look for video cameras, security guard positioning and speculate where the vault is. The Bank of Montpelier/Facebook. 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. Again, right tool for the job, that makes sense. The duo stole firearms and bullet proof vests. Read through and the next time you visit your bank, remember to take a look up and smile for the camera. 1986 FBI Miami shootout, deadly shootout between FBI and two bank robbers. Bells and sirens were replaced in many cases by silent alarms, which sent a signal to law enforcement, allowing them to confront the robbers as they exited the buildings, after several instances when robbers reacted to the loud alarms by shielding themselves with employees and customers as hostages. September 25, 1992, The Norco Bank Robbery. The men beat a guard unconscious but were soon apprehended. Its funny how a lot of bank robbers never wear disguises anymore. Is it possible he is still alive? In January, 1934, the gang robbed a bank in Chicago escaping with $20,376. His bank robbery style became known as the Lamm Technique, and was widely imitated by other famous bank robbers, such as John Dillinger. The World Trade Center employees had already been subdued. Knightsbridge Security Deposit Robbery: The "Italian" Work. During his first brief stint in prison, the director of research wrote the following: This fellow is a criminal of the most dangerous type. Other aspects involved each gang member being assigned a job such vault man, driver or lobby man. One of the thieves, the one who had worn a ski mask, made it as far as Albuquerque, New Mexico before he was arrested two days following the robbery. They were never caught, and are believed to be behind similar heists in Paris during the following weeks. 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. It took exactly zero technology to catch the bad . Unfortunately for Rountree he got caught each time he robbed a bank and ended up doing 12 years in prison where he eventually died. On that Friday morning, after months of planning two armed bank robbers entered and robbed the North Hollywood Bank of America branch in California. 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. On September 26, 1933, a total of 10 men, including Hamilton, escaped using smuggled guns from the recently paroled John Dillinger. The well-armed gangs often outgunned the police, and violent crime took an upsurge. 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Barrow was imprisoned in 1927, for robbery of a gas station and it was here that he committed his first killing. Their point of entry was a tunnel they dug from the sewers. "Part of my process did begin with how poorly I thought rich people handled their money. After the United States government protested to the British authorities the raiders were arrested in Canada and the money seized. Hunt rushed to the scene to begin investigating what would turn out to be the biggest bank robbery in San Antonio history. David S. Grant is the author of several books including "Blood: The New Red." 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.