In addition, banks lost an estimated $482 million due to robberies. Jesse was murdered there by Bob Ford in 1882 in St. Joseph. He has also escaped from prison multiple times. Escaping successfully, Pierpont was involved in several additional bank robberies with Dillinger. 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. They fled to the north. She just shrugged -- palms up like a little kid -- and said, "That's all I got." It was later claimed that Butch Cassidy had been one of the robbers. Although Jesse James was never tried for any of his crimes, his brother Frank was twice, acquitted both times. The robbers weren't caught until January 1956. May 6, 1925, Its an old up! 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. 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 . 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. 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 infamous Ohio State Penitentiary in Columbus was one of the nations most notorious prisons when Pierpont was sent there for execution. 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). John Hamilton was hit and died shortly after. In January, 1934, the gang robbed a bank in Chicago escaping with $20,376. Later in life, Nelson became involved with some local gangsters, driving bootleg alcohol for them through the Chicago suburbs. 8 Candice Rose Martinez. However, he has reportedly already died and was never brought to justice. 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 trio then proceeded to rob a bank in Minnesota for $32,000. 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. In the end Sutton worked as a security consultant for banks. On April 23, 1934, the gang were confronted by police and, during a getaway, Hamilton was wounded and died shortly after. The only money the gang managed to take during the robbery was a few bags of nickels. In fact, Dillinger was one of the first in his gang to be killed. 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. He robbed a bank in Ohio, but was captured soon after. It took exactly zero technology to catch the bad . There are many perks to the gangster lifestyle; long life expectancy isnt one of them. The pair and their group were famous for carrying thefts from trains and banks. 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. I told him I was 100% sure that they had the amount wrong. They fired grenades, mortar rounds, and bullets into the building. 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. He also participated in many high profile bank robberies until his death at the Battle of Barrington. Needless to say, she got fired. 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. 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. According to reports, 18 perpetrators are still at large. He was nicknamed slick for the many disguises he wore on the job. He was cornered by over 200 police, and shot himself in the head to avoid punishment. 01/10/2022. The 300 million yen robbery caught the interest of international media when it took place in 1968. In 1997, Los Angeles residents witnessed what became the deadliest bank robbery in the history of America. The robbery was a near disaster though he still managed to make a clean getaway. Lebanon's civil war was in full swing. He is estimated to have robbed over 100 banks, stealing around $2 million. 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. Sutton was the Cal Ripken of bank robbers, participating in over 100 bank robberies over a 35-year span. It was to be delivered to a local . The first bank robbery caught on camerafrom 1957. While traveling and searching for new ways to put some money in his pocket for a better life, he stumbled upon Mike . 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. "Only the Internet. They were never caught, and are believed to be behind similar heists in Paris during the following weeks. The fugitive behind one of America's most notorious bank robberies has been identified after a 52-year search, law enforcement officials have announced. Security Pacific Bank, Norco, California, 1980, deadly shootout between local law enforcement and five bank robbers. January 14, 1998, 3 Survivors of Geronimo Bank Robbery Testify at Neill Retrial. 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. 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. 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. The failed robbery and the resulting pursuit brought all of the Younger gang to heel, except the James brothers, who separated from the rest and fled to Missouri. W. D. Jones, Playboy Magazine. 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. Tumey has set up a Kickstarter to fund a book he intends to write about how 'bank robbery changed my life'. "No threat. At the time of his death, he was 27 years old. It is estimated he stole over $2 million from banks. Wikimedia. Volney Davis was the boyfriend of Edna "rabbits" Murray. Pierpont was found guilty and sentenced to a minimum of ten years in the Indiana Reformatory. Bank robbery statistics from 2020 report there were zero bank robberies for 12 months in South Africa. Train robberies. 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 first time he was serving a 30 year sentence for robbery, he used a smuggled gun to hold a prison guard hostage, before using a ladder to scale the prison wall. 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. David lives and works in New York City. The robbers left with $6,700 in cash, unwittingly leaving behind another $9,000 safely hidden in file cabinets. 5. "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." He was never caught and the loot from the heist was never found. 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. Mikhaylich was known as the Holiday Bandit due his frequent robberies in late December. Butch Cassidy: Butch Cassidy was the leader of one of the famous robbery gangs, Wild Butch Gang. 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. But to me, the money was the chips, thats all.. Clipping from the Minneapolis Tribune, March 14, 1934. The Barker family were a notorious gang of siblings who robbed banks and killed without provocation. In 1881, the brothers returned to Missouri. It was September 21, 1991. Jamie founded Listverse due to an insatiable desire to share fascinating, obscure, and bizarre facts. The riders escaped pursuit by a posse. 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. He was later transferred to the State Prison, where he worked out an escape plan with John Dillinger. Other aspects involved each gang member being assigned a job such vault man, driver or lobby man. 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. ", On the final job that didn't go as planned, "The teller freaked out as soon as I turned to leave the bank. 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. 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 British Bank of the Middle East Robbery. The South Malabar Gramin Bank's Chelembra branch robbery was inspired by the Bollywood movie Dhoom. FBI. The Burrowing Burglars. As a punishment, Van Meter spent two months in solitary confinement where he was severely beaten by guards. Jesse James. 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. Butch Cassidy (seated at right) and the Wild Bunch, one of several gangs which used Hole in the Wall Pass as a hideout. For a short while, Nelson was number one on the FBI list of public enemies. The gang even participated in kidnappings, however this proved to be their downfall. Shirlee Pigeon, Riverside Sheriffs Association, 2010. The British Bank of the Middle East robbery. Online. During his first brief stint in prison, the director of research wrote the following: This fellow is a criminal of the most dangerous type. Butch was capable of robbing a bank with nothing but a pistol, but his men have been caught before. Bettmann Archive/Getty Images. Eventually, most of the Tape bandits were rounded up, including Nelson. The plan was pretty simply stay out of our way or die. Hoover wouldnt have to wait long. 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. Butch and Sundance were alleged to have been killed in 1908 in South America, though their exact fate remains in question. Hearst, the heir to millions, was kidnapped and later arrested as an accomplice with the Symbionese Liberation Armyafter they robbed a bank in San Francisco. The Youngers never admitted that Jesse and Frank James were part of the foiled robbery. Born in 1847 and raised in the "Little Dixie" area of western Missouri, James and his slave-owning family maintained strong . Wikimedia. On September 26, 1933, a total of 10 men, including . Cold-blooded murder. In January of 1934 Hamilton and his crew robbed over $20,000 from a bank and gunned downed an officer. 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. 9 Million was stolen (which translates to $21.6 Million today). 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. So many classic movies have been made with the premise of a bank robbery, many based on the jobs pulled from people on this list. Taking place in Tokyo, it was the greatest bank job in the history of Japan. Start your Independent Premium subscription today. However, this was invented by a reporter who never even interviewed Sutton. 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. Alfred was separated from his brothers and died in custody at Kilby Prison in Alabama. No referenda as to which road to take. They were shot over 50 times, including numerous headshots on each corpse. Hamilton began his criminal career by robbing a gas station in Indiana, and being sentenced to a very long prison term of 25 years. In prison he met Fred Barker who was serving a sentence for bank burglary. Riverside deputies were assisted in the high-speed chase by officers of other agencies as it entered Sam Bernardino County. When those convictions were overturned (they had been tried together) they have tried again, in separate trials, and again both were convicted. On February 13, 1866, a Tuesday, a group of riders rode into Liberty, Missouri. After the robbery, they went their separate ways and headed back to their homes. Movie Inspired Chelambra Bank Heist - Rs 80 Million. The Lord never seeks re- election. At the time of his death, he was 31 years old. J. Edgar Hoover exploited the rash of bank robberies during the Great Depression to increase the authority of the FBI and his own personal influence. Nov 18, 2020. The most notorious outlaws of the Wild West have long been . He wasnt hurt, but the car was disabled, and soon after he engaged in a chase with police. 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. Robert Grady Johnson (front ) and Jay Wesley Neill during the legal procedures which convicted them of the Geronimo bank robbery and murders. Four days after his arrest, Dillinger oversaw the smuggling of weapons into his friends prison cells, and they escaped, but not before killing two guards. Five days later they were arrested in Ohio. Answer (1 of 2): Let the Countdown begin: 10. Via: The Richest. 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. One of the most famous bank robbers in American History, "Slick Willie" spent 11 years at Eastern State Penitentiary. On September 26, 1933, a total of 10 men, including Hamilton, escaped using smuggled guns from the recently paroled John Dillinger. Whoever the culprits had been, they had burrowed through 100 feet of soil from a nearby sewer drain, and had drilled . He had black hair and a baby face. Anyway, here are the stories of five famous bank robberies. Photo: Stanislav Kozlovskiy / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 3.0. Wikimedia. 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. On the morning of June 9th, 1986, employees at Hollywood's First Interstate Bank showed up for work, preparing for the long week ahead. The Soboba Grab and Dash was a casino heist straight out of the Hollywood movies. Most bank robbers, at least the popular ones, had characteristics that set them apart. Martinez and her boyfriend would rob 4 banks in Northern Virginia, stealing just under $50,000 before they got caught and prosecuted. "I never felt guilty because I didn't attack or assault anyone. He committed his first major robbery in the 1920s, burglarizing a hospital in Tulsa. . Two bank robbers and one deputy died in the gun battle, nine officers were wounded. In 1945 Sutton, along with 11 other prisoners, escaped from Eastern State in a prisoner-dug tunnel that went almost 100 feet . James was not positively identified by any witnesses (though he was well known in the area), and none of the money was ever recovered. Parker first met Clyde Barrow at a friends house. Amazingly, they were never caught. Frank surrendered to the authorities later that year and was tried for two robberies, one in Missouri and one in Alabama. I was more alive when I was inside a bank, robbing it, than at any other time in my life. Insane, huh? There has to be some disappointment that comes with getting caught because cameras picked up the license plate of a stolen getaway car. Baron Lamm died, aged 40, after a botched bank robbery when his gang crashed their getaway car. 5. May 2, 2004, Frank and Jesse James: The Story Behind the Legend. Whilst in prison he tried to escape with another prisoner. On January 17, 1950, 11 men steal more than $2 million ($29 million today) from the . Library of Congress. 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. Two years later, the first successful getaway by automobile following a bank robbery took place in France. OK, in terms of actual . He has been a guest speaker on numerous national radio and television stations and is a five time published author. The banks lost about $482 million due to robberies, or $4,213 per offense. I wouldn't steal from an individual person because I'm not comfortable with that. The escapees then travelled to Lima County jail to liberate Dillinger. Arthur was a modern day Robin Hood, providing a service for people in need by stealing. 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.