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. Here are our sources: The Canadian View of the Confederate Raid on Saint Albans. These gangsters graduated into armed robbers and became known as the Tape Bandits, of which Nelson was a respected member. North Hollywood shootout, 1997, deadly . Valerio and his associates entered the facility, pretending to be customers. "I think morality is very subjective. (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. The first bank robbery caught on camerafrom 1957. 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. Wikimedia. The story is unsupported by evidence and was probably created by Floyd, who hated the nickname Pretty Boy. In fact, Dillinger was one of the first in his gang to be killed. Hunter robbed his first bank when he was 86 years old. 3. It was the largest bank robbery in U.S. history at the time. Despite FFR1000 charged, she's an art student with day jobs e.g. A fresh take on sports: the biggest news and most entertaining lists. 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). Floyd wasnt your typical gangster bank robber though; no, he was providing a service. Although rumored to have been a nice guy, he murdered his partner, Nollie Humpy Wortman, after they completed a job. 7. . He also participated in many high profile bank robberies until his death at the Battle of Barrington. All three were identified by persons who knew them and subsequently captured by the Cleveland police. Police caught him 15 minutes later with the knife and 410 in cash stolen from a Tesco in King's Lynn, Norfolk. On April 23, 1934, the gang were confronted by police and, during a getaway, Hamilton was wounded and died shortly after. 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. Library of Congress. "She also pocketed a $100 bill for herself. During the heist, a police officer was gunned down and Dillinger was officially charged with the murder, even though many witnesses named Hamilton as the shooter. 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. I studied countless reports of other robberies that had gone wrong and people who were caught. 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. Nelson also demonstrated a propensity for violence and committed his first known murder during a botched tavern robbery. 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. A mere boy a pretty boy with apple cheeks.. 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. Local newspapers led the speculation that the robbery was the work of former Confederate guerrillas, others speculated that the robbers had been from Kansas, so called Redlegs who had been supportive of the Union cause during the recently concluded Civil War. Dillinger and his gang began a spree of bank robberies across Indiana, accumulating over $300,000 in total. 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. Jay, Clarke, Universal Press Syndicate, Chicago Tribune. Among his associate criminals of his time, such as Baby Face Nelson, Homer Van Meter and John Red Hamilton, Dillinger was, by far, the most notorious. Two bank robbers and one deputy died in the gun battle, nine officers were wounded. There are many perks to the gangster lifestyle; long life expectancy isnt one of them. On August 23rd, 1934, Van Meter was ambushed by four police officers and brutally gunned down. He has been a guest speaker on numerous national radio and television stations and is a five time published author. 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. Once the robbers reached an area near Lytle Creek they again engaged the pursuers. He robbed a bank in Ohio, but was captured soon after. 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. Several weeks later the police caught up to Andreoli in a Chester, PA diner where he was shot dead. 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. As they were mounting their horses, shots rang out, and a nineteen-year-old college student was killed, evidently by a stray bullet. If you want to know the best heist films you should definitely watch our picks for the best Bank Robbery movies.Discover the best popcorn machine: https:/. Wikimedia. Securitas Depot Robbery. August 6, 2012, The Last Outlaws: The Lives and Legends of Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid. Authorities in four states joined in the search for the fugitives. 10. Central Bank of Iraq by urrizato - Wikimedia. He surrendered peacefully although no agents had brought any handcuffs, as they assumed Karpis would fight to the death. 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. 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 . Karpis immediately joined them after he was paroled, and together they formed the Karpis-Barker gang. As a young man, Van Meter became involved in crime after working as a waiter for a short while. Barrow was armed with a sawed-off shotgun. Where do we find this stuff? The duo and their gang went on to rob numerous other stores and banks before their downfall. While it's too early to say whether the Berlin coin robbery will go down in history like the following 10 unsolved heists, it definitely fits the bill as an interesting crime caper. The depredations of the roving criminal gangs of the depression years led to bank robbery becoming a federal crime in 1934, if the bank was a National bank or a member bank of the Federal Reserve System. The young men produced shotguns and ordered the chief cashier, a man named Birge, and his aides to hand over all available cash. 1988, Americas Own Robin Hood: The Dillinger Legend. 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. In case you havent heard, theres a movie (1967 Arthur Penn film) that details the adventures of Bonnie and Clyde. The pursuit included the local militia, who killed or captured the remaining members of the gang. Kent, UK; 2006. The heist inspired three films: 10 Million Dollar Getaway, the Big Heist, and Goodfellas. Rebecca Seales, The Daily Mail. " Will Rogers (1879-1935) " Rev. According to reports, 18 perpetrators are still at large. Riverside deputies were assisted in the high-speed chase by officers of other agencies as it entered Sam Bernardino County. United California bank robbery. Whilst incarcerated, he began to associate with prominent bank robbers such as John Dillinger, Harry Pierpoint and Homer Van Meter. Theodore J. Conrad pulled off one of the biggest bank robberies in Cleveland's history. Hamilton began his criminal career by robbing a gas station in Indiana, and being sentenced to a very long prison term of 25 years. FBI. The well-armed gangs often outgunned the police, and violent crime took an upsurge. 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. 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. He conned his way into a program that allowed him out of prison during the day to attend the University of Michigan. Philadelphia authorities suspected the theft to have been an inside job and entry achieved using a key. Dillinger buried his friend at the home of Volney Davis and Edna Murray. She just shrugged -- palms up like a little kid -- and said, "That's all I got." The pair robbed numerous banks as well as some gas stations and stores in rural areas. Dillinger and his gang, which included for a time notorious gangster George "Baby Face" Nelson, were suspected of robbing $52,000 from the First National Bank in Mason City on March 13, 1934. The brothers were sentenced on federal charges and later received additional time on state charges. Johnny D. Boggs, True West Magazine. Seventy-five stab wounds were inflicted on the three employees, and the stabbings only ended when they were interrupted by the entry of three customers, who were taken to the back at gunpoint and shot in the head. The Banco Central burglary Stolen: $71.6 million. 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. Alarm buzzers and bells, which rang loudly inside and outside of the bank, were one of the earliest. He was executed at the Oklahoma State Penitentiary in 2002, by lethal injection. 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.. Anyway, here are the stories of five famous bank robberies. 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. When talking about famous thieves, one can't leave out Albert Spaggiari. 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. Karpis continued his armed robbery career, although it became more and more difficult for him to escape capture. Exactly my point, you are 86, why not? 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. Before they left, the Termites started a fire that set off the sprinkler system and flooded the building. He was shot dozens of times, and several of his fingers were blown off. He ran errands for gangsters when he was 10 years old, and soon garnered a reputation for reliability. 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. In 1976, when Lebanon was in the midst of a civil war, a group of robbers decided to cash in on the confusion. The robbers were armed with rifles, handguns, and shotguns. 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. Sutton was once asked by a reporter why he robbed banks. Townspeople raised the alarm and armed men were awaiting the robbers as they exited the bank. He committed his first murder when the Tape bandits robbed a tavern and he shot a stockbroker. There was some armed resistance from the citizens of the town, and gunfire was exchanged leading to one townsman being killed and another wounded, with one of the raiders, wounded as well. 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. Whilst incarcerated, he began to associate with prominent bank robbers such as John Dillinger, Harry Pierpoint and Homer Van Meter. Cassidy didnt need much, just his crew and a reputation that bled intimidation. 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. The Great Northfield, Minnesota, Raid. Bonnie Parker and Clyde Barrow are among the most famous outlaws in history. A determined J Edgar Hoover had even vowed to personally arrest Karpis. Ted Conrad was working as a teller at the . Nelson decided to form and run his own gang of bank robbers in 1933, on October 3 they robbed the First National Bank of Brainerd, Minnesota, during which Nelson used a Thompson submachine gun to fire indiscriminately at bystanders on the street as they made their escape. By 1909 automobiles were being used to race across the country, as did this Model T, and to rob banks. She started screaming "lock the doors, lock the doors" but I ignored it and just kept walking like nothing was happening. After numerous convictions were attained using his information he entered the Witness Protection Program. bank. Clyde Barrow and Bonnie Parker left a trail of dead lawmen and bystanders in their wake during their crime spree of robbery and murder. Moments later, cops were racing through San Isidro, a leafy, affluent suburb north . 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. For a short while, Nelson was number one on the FBI list of public enemies. 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 gang even participated in kidnappings, however this proved to be their downfall. 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. 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. In yet another gun battle with police, a second robber was killed. Stolen: $20 million - $50 million. There's one . Who wouldnt be curious? James and his brother Frank robbed banks, stagecoaches, trains, and once even a fair. At the time of his death, he was 31 years old. This is how it works in America because the amount of money a bank gives up ($5-$7k on average) per bank robbery is infinitely less than the amount of business they'd lose if shit got wild in a bank full of customers. 7. He was famous for his likable personality and charm. 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. His bank robbery style became known as the Lamm Technique, and was widely imitated by other famous bank robbers, such as John Dillinger. Here are some of the most notorious bank robberies or robbers in American history. The Hole in the Wall Pass in Wyoming was an easily defended, difficult to approach hideout for several criminal gangs which took sanctuary there from the 1860s through the early twentieth century. The trio then proceeded to rob a bank in Minnesota for $32,000. The police in automobiles were able to run them down quickly, and they were apprehended and taken to jail. Via cbsnews.com. Athan G. Theoharis, John Stuart Cox. ", "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. Eventually, Pierpont was tried for the murder of the Allen County Sheriff in Ohio, convicted and sentenced to death. His numerous prison escapes also added to his legend. They remained at large until two days later when they were encountered in the general region of the second shootout. Butch was capable of robbing a bank with nothing but a pistol, but his men have been caught before. 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As a young man he enlisted in the US Navy, but was dishonorably discharged after he deserted. After the robbery, they went their separate ways and headed back to their homes. Oh-so-coincidentally, the next day, six bandits got into the garage with keys in hand, then tied up . When he was 19, he participated in a botched burglary and was imprisoned for 10 years. I was more alive when I was inside a bank, robbing it, than at any other time in my life. Modern day pop culture has kept the tradition alive with movies such as Point Break, HEAT and Reservoir Dogs. 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. He also stole the Sheriffs new Ford car to make his getaway. Cold-blooded murder. Dar Es Salaam Bank - Take the Money and Stroll. In April 1925, Pierpont was arrested in Detroit and was soon returned to Indiana to face trial. On a Friday in 1976, Spaggiari led a team of 20 men into the bank vault. He was the last remaining public enemy, all the others having being captured or killed. Wikimedia. Security Pacific Bank, Norco, California, 1980, deadly shootout between local law enforcement and five bank robbers. 2. 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. During his first brief stint in prison, the director of research wrote the following: This fellow is a criminal of the most dangerous type. 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. His case was eventually thrown out . 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. After the death of John Dillinger, Floyd was elevated to Public Enemy Number One by the FBI. He received a life sentence but escaped during a prison transfer. After exiting the theatre the FBI were waiting for him and he was shot down as he tried to escape down a nearby alleyway. Mug shot of Lester Gillis, alias George Nelson, known to history as Baby Face Nelson. 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. Jamie founded Listverse due to an insatiable desire to share fascinating, obscure, and bizarre facts. Most of the robbers were caught but the gold remains at large. Five days later they were arrested in Ohio. Here is a countdown of the 10 most famous robberies in history. The Bank of Montpelier/Facebook. Eventually the F.B.I. 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 is the mastermind behind the Socit Gnrale Bank heist. Clipping from the Minneapolis Tribune, March 14, 1934. A posse of rangers opened fire into Barrows stolen car as he approached, at high speed, down a rural Louisiana road. The 2005 Banco Central burglary in Fortaleza, Brazil, was once recognized by Guinness Book of World Records as the world's greatest bank robbery. In 1997, a Dunbar Armored Co. employee was fired for tampering with the company's vehicles. 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. Pity. No deliberation. 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. On September 19, 1900, members of the Wild Bunch entered the town of Winnemucca, Nevada. Eventually someone caught on, but talk about not being able to keep a good man (or bad man) down. I look for video cameras, security guard positioning and speculate where the vault is. Bank robbery is a federal crime in the United States, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation defines the act of robbery as taking or attempting to take property through the use of, or the implied use of force. The gang were determined to free him, but first they needed cash to fund the break out. He married Beryl Hovious, in 1924, but the marriage ended in divorce. Thom Hatch. After being arrested and imprisoned in the escape proof Lake County jail, Dillinger was able to use a carved wooden pistol to trick guards, and lock them in his cell. the last kingdom: gisela death,