Jesse James fame was so widespread that many towns claim to have been robbed by him, despite little evidence of it being true. It was later claimed that Butch Cassidy had been one of the robbers. 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). It took about fifteen minutes for the thieves to leave the World Trade Center, taking with them $1.6 million in cash. 10 Famous Depression-era Bank Robbers - Listverse (2023) The bank was closed for renovations at the time, so the gang took its time, spending days breaking in and several hours emptying boxes. John and Clarence Anglin, along with fellow inmate Frank Morris, escaped from Alcatraz in June 1962. 5 most famous bank robberies in history - Love in Heart 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. 35 Famous Thieves Throughout History - Facts.net ", "In their top drawer, [tellers usually had] less than $10k. In case you havent heard, theres a movie (1967 Arthur Penn film) that details the adventures of Bonnie and Clyde. When he was 19, he participated in a botched burglary and was imprisoned for 10 years. He fled into an apple orchard where he was shot and killed. In April of 1934 they pulled off a bank job, but the getaway went awry and a shootout ensued. These gangsters graduated into armed robbers and became known as the Tape Bandits, of which Nelson was a respected member. The infamous Ohio State Penitentiary in Columbus was one of the nations most notorious prisons when Pierpont was sent there for execution. Arthur was a modern day Robin Hood, providing a service for people in need by stealing. In March the crime spree began again, and in that month alone three additional Indiana banks were robbed by Pierpont and his associates, in New Harmony, Kokomo, and Laketon. theunredacted 26 Feb 2018. When those convictions were overturned (they had been tried together) they have tried again, in separate trials, and again both were convicted. The one that got away: Cleveland bank heist mystery solved after 52 The 20 best bank robbery movies - IMDb 2002, Riding with Bonnie and Clyde. The pair robbed numerous banks as well as some gas stations and stores in rural areas. In March of 1934, Nelson partnered with John Dillinger to rob the Security National Bank in Sioux Falls, followed a week later by the First National Bank of Mason City, Iowa. Only one of the robbers wore a mask, the others were easily identified and arrested. Pretty ballsy on her part. D.B. Cooper Hijacking FBI - Federal Bureau Of Investigation He had black hair and a baby face. Read through and the next time you visit your bank, remember to take a look up and smile for the camera. 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. On December the 10 th, just under 300 million yen was loaded into one of the bank's transportation cars. He remained on the run for three years before crashing his car in thick fog. Most bank robbers, at least the popular ones, had characteristics that set them apart. Modern day pop culture has kept the tradition alive with movies such as Point Break, HEAT and Reservoir Dogs. In reality, they killed several. The men were John, Clarence, and Alfred Anglin, and they did not wear masks. The pair robbed banks together during the 1930s. A posse of rangers opened fire into Barrows stolen car as he approached, at high speed, down a rural Louisiana road. He ended up being sentenced to a long prison term for a train robbery. In January 1958, three brothers brandishing toy pistols robbed the Bank of Columbia in Columbia, 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. The robbery had yielded a haul of about $20,000, most of which was recovered and the three surviving robbers were convicted of 46 felonies for their crimes, and all three were sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole. The gang even participated in kidnappings, however this proved to be their downfall. After serving seven years in prison, Van Meter was paroled. It was the largest amount ever stolen from a bank in U.S. history. Via: The Richest. . Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies. "They just want to give you what you want and for you to get the hell out of their bank.". Insane, huh? On September 26, 1933, a total of 10 men, including . These ruthless thieves would burst in and ransack the bank, usually forcing a manager to open the vault. In the late 1920s Lester Gillis, who used the alias George Nelson, was developing a budding criminal career by performing home invasions stealing cash, jewelry, and furs, and robbing stores and taverns. Floyd killed at least three police officers and several other underworld figures, including bootleggers, which indicates he may have supplemented his income from bank robberies by serving as a hitman for organized crime figures. Robbing banks was Dillingers bread and butter, and often included elaborate plans that placed him front and center, demanding attention of security, tellers and customers. 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. An illustration from an 1882 book on the lives of Frank and Jesse James and the Younger brothers. Two years later, the first successful getaway by automobile following a bank robbery took place in France. Dillinger was paroled in 1933, at the height of the great depression, when a convicted criminal had almost no option of employment. 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. It was unlikely that Floyd had been involved, but J. Edgar Hoover used the event as propaganda to further the cause of armed FBI agents. 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. John "Red" Hamilton. He was a master of disguise who often impersonated a postal telegraph messenger, police . Father and Son Help Crack Unsolved 1969 Bank Robbery After the Northfield, robbery attempt led to the destruction of the James-Younger gang Jesse and his brother Frank escaped, and for a time lived under an assumed name in Nashville, Tennessee. Ted P. Yeatman. On April 23, 1934, the gang were confronted by police and, during a getaway, Hamilton was wounded and died shortly after. The banks lost about $482 million due to robberies, or $4,213 per offense. August 3, 2012, 3 Gunmen Rob Guards of $1.6 Million at World Trade Center Bank. ", On the final job that didn't go as planned, "The teller freaked out as soon as I turned to leave the bank. 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. Hunter robbed his first bank when he was 86 years old. The first bank robbery caught on camerafrom 1957. Cassidy didnt need much, just his crew and a reputation that bled intimidation. Notorious Wild West Outlaw Butch Cassidy Robbed This Idaho Bank And Nelson was finally cornered and killed by FBI agents in November 1934, in a gun battle in which two FBI agents were also killed. They impersonated police officers, telling the Sheriff they had come to extradite Dillinger to Indiana. 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. Other aspects involved each gang member being assigned a job such vault man, driver or lobby man. Willie Sutton. The robbers were armed with rifles, handguns, and shotguns. 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. He began to associate with big time Kansas City mobsters. Pierpont was found guilty and sentenced to a minimum of ten years in the Indiana Reformatory. Dillinger buried his friend at the home of Volney Davis and Edna Murray. He aligned himself with Baby Face Nelson and Tommy Carroll to rob a Michigan bank, escaping with $30,000. Two bank robbers and one deputy died in the gun battle, nine officers were wounded. There has to be some disappointment that comes with getting caught because cameras picked up the license plate of a stolen getaway car. Johnny D. Boggs, True West Magazine. 15 Of The Most Notorious Criminals Never Caught | TheRichest Later in life, Nelson became involved with some local gangsters, driving bootleg alcohol for them through the Chicago suburbs. 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. Liddell: The Kingdom of God is not a democracy. The brothers were sentenced on federal charges and later received additional time on state charges. The young men produced shotguns and ordered the chief cashier, a man named Birge, and his aides to hand over all available cash. Shots were fired at the robbers outside while their three companions were still inside, who shot the clerk in the head and fled. 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. His case was eventually thrown out . During the sixties, Williams was linked to over 60 robberies across the East Coast and Midwest. Dillinger was born in Indiana and originally had no ties to crime. 1988, Americas Own Robin Hood: The Dillinger Legend. Successful bank robber explains how he never got caught 3. In Indiana, Van Meter robbed a police station with Dillinger. He has killed more FBI agents than any other single American citizen. David lives and works in New York City. Authorities in four states joined in the search for the fugitives. One of the men asked for change for a ten-dollar bill, and as William opened the cash drawer the men produced pistols and demanded that a sack be filled with all the available cash. Biggest Heists And Bank Robberies In American History 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. Early in the afternoon a man entered the bank, took the staff he found there into the back, forced them to lie on the floor, and then stabbed them to death. Most of the robbers were caught but the gold remains at large. Limerick joined the Maurice Denning gang in 1934, and their spree of heists . But the James brothers aren't the only bank robbers to become household names. Historians have labelled the 1930s as the Public Enemy era; a time when a small minority of criminals stood out as being particularly notorious and were hunted determinedly by the police and FBI. Karpis nearly met his own violent death when the FBI located him in New Jersey. "I never felt guilty because I didn't attack or assault anyone. 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. 5. Nov 18, 2020. But it was pretty low risk that way, so that was cool with me. His demise finally came when he attended the Biograph Theatre, in Chicago. The money was returned to the bank. Dar Es Salaam Bank - Take the Money and Stroll. On the afternoon of November 24, 1971, a nondescript man calling himself Dan Cooper approached the counter of Northwest Orient Airlines in Portland, Oregon. These criminals werent like the bank robbers of today; handing a note to a teller and escaping with $100, only to be caught the next day. The law eventually caught up with Floyd, and in 1930, he was arrested and charged with the robbery of the Sylvania Ohio Bank. He also stole the Sheriffs new Ford car to make his getaway. Previously they had broken into banks after hours, hoping to avoid any injury to themselves or others. By then Jesse James had been dead for seven years, but the two remaining Younger brothers, Jim and Cole, continued to maintain their silence over any crimes committed by the James brothers, including the Northfield robbery. The suspect's disappearance was a mystery that lasted 52 years - a few months longer than he did. In January of 1934 Hamilton and his crew robbed over $20,000 from a bank and gunned downed an officer.