J.L. August 6, 2012, The Last Outlaws: The Lives and Legends of Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid. James and his brother Frank robbed banks, stagecoaches, trains, and once even a fair. 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. The murderers and thieves, Jay Wesley Neill, who did the killings, and Robert Grady Johnson, were arrested on December 17 in a San Francisco hotel, traced there by the trail of marked bills which had paid for their transit. 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). 9 Million was stolen (which translates to $21.6 Million today). 1. Lebanon's civil war was in full swing. He took part in the Dillinger gangs last bank raid, in which four innocent bystanders were murdered. One of the main things I learned from research was that an overwhelming number of people are caught because they didn't do it solo. After serving seven years in prison, Van Meter was paroled. He received a life sentence but escaped during a prison transfer. 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. The Soboba Grab and Dash was a casino heist straight out of the Hollywood movies. Clyde Barrow and Bonnie Parker left a trail of dead lawmen and bystanders in their wake during their crime spree of robbery and murder. Regardless, some of them found more success than others, however, all of them eventually were caught and persecuted. He escaped from prison but was sentenced, in absentia, to 12-15 years behind bars. Previously they had broken into banks after hours, hoping to avoid any injury to themselves or others. 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. Director: Roger Avary | Stars: Eric Stoltz, Julie Delpy, Martin Raymond, Eric Pascal Chaltiel. Who wouldnt be curious? If you ever got robbed by John Dillinger you knew it because he would have told you so. 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. The one that got away: Cleveland bank heist mystery solved after 52 Needless to say, she got fired. 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. Only one of the robbers wore a mask, the others were easily identified and arrested. They were shot over 50 times, including numerous headshots on each corpse. They impersonated police officers, telling the Sheriff they had come to extradite Dillinger to Indiana. . In April 1930, Nelson robbed his first bank and got away with $4000. The 10 Weirdest Unsolved Heists In History - Ranker One of the most famous bank robbers in American History, "Slick Willie" spent 11 years at Eastern State Penitentiary. For most of the shootout, the deputies had been outgunned by the bank robbers and changes to the arming of the San Bernardino Sheriffs Department were the direct result of the gun battles following the robbery. She just shrugged -- palms up like a little kid -- and said, "That's all I got." Mikhaylich never wore a mask and at 65 it is surprising he had a successful 2-year run before finally being caught. 1988, Americas Own Robin Hood: The Dillinger Legend. 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. In May 1936, the FBI located Karpis in New Orleans, and surrounded his car. For John Hamilton, robbing banks wasnt his first choice. The group soon became the hot target of the . Homer Van Meter was a young member of John Dillingers gang, with a reputation for being particularly bloodthirsty. I don't use that to make bank robbery "okay" but that's what made it okay for me at the time. In January, 1934, the gang robbed a bank in Chicago escaping with $20,376. 17 Clever Bank Robberies That Didn't Involve Violence or Weapons - Ranker 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. Its funny how a lot of bank robbers never wear disguises anymore. 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. 35 Famous Thieves Throughout History - Facts.net June 28, 2009, Family plot: Pretty Boy Floyd relative recalls his infamous uncle. Click to learn more. He was famous for his likable personality and charm. Because I enjoyed it. Increased security in the aftermath of the 1993 World Trade Center bombing did not prevent Ralph Guarino and colleagues from robbing Bank of America there. Professional burglars Amil and James Dinsio with their nephews, brother-in-law, and two other associates, who were good at disarming the alarms, pull off the largest heist in U.S. history. Guarino acted on the information given him by an employee at the World Trade Center, who also gave him his security pass. 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.. "Only the Internet. He was sentenced to life imprisonment and spent most of his adult life in Alcatraz. Online. Stolen: 53.1 million ($83 million) This brazen heist remains the largest cash robbery in British history and was executed with a more violent vision . Turns out she was talking with her accomplice, a boyfriend driving the getaway car outside the banks. "They just want to give you what you want and for you to get the hell out of their bank.". A Breakdown of the Infamous 1997 North Hollywood Bank Shootout While most of the men waited outside two men went into the bank, which was staffed by only two men at the time, father and son Greenup Bird and William Bird. Maybe it was how they asked for the money, their appearance or getaway. The robbery was led by the notorious likes of outlaw Butch Cassidy and his sidekicks. I told him I was 100% sure that they had the amount wrong. 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. Steven Nickel and William J. Helmer. Boring thieves had tunnel visions - Los Angeles Times 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. The following year he robbed a bank in Grand Haven, Michigan. It was the largest amount ever stolen from a bank in U.S. history. Jay, Clarke, Universal Press Syndicate, Chicago Tribune. He was gunned down in the so called Battle of Barrington, but not before taking FBI agents Herman Hollis and Samuel P Cowley with him. The two stormed into the casino, held everyone at gunpoint and tied up several of the casino staff. It was the largest bank robbery in U.S. history at the time. He was cornered by over 200 police, and shot himself in the head to avoid punishment. Wikimedia. In 1997, Los Angeles residents witnessed what became the deadliest bank robbery in the history of America. People worth millions dont typically get involved in robbing banks (unless of course that is how you made your millions). Johnson was sentenced to four life sentences and Neill was again given the death penalty. 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). 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. Dillinger was charged; however, many claim it was Hamilton who pulled the trigger. Votes: 20,895 | Gross: $0.42M Floyd wasnt your typical gangster bank robber though; no, he was providing a service. The bank was closed for renovations at the time, so the gang took its time, spending days breaking in and several hours emptying boxes. The 10 Most Successful Bank Robberies In History - Thrillist 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. Townspeople raised the alarm and armed men were awaiting the robbers as they exited the bank. The 10 Biggest Bank Robberies of All Time - MoneyWise Frank surrendered to the authorities later that year and was tried for two robberies, one in Missouri and one in Alabama. 25 Biggest Bank Robberies of All Time - eLawTalk.com He has been a guest speaker on numerous national radio and television stations and is a five time published author. On the afternoon of November 24, 1971, a nondescript man calling himself Dan Cooper approached the counter of Northwest Orient Airlines in Portland, Oregon. ", On the final job that didn't go as planned, "The teller freaked out as soon as I turned to leave the bank. After the cashier reluctantly complied the men made their escape with about $32,000, most of it in gold. No one pulled off more armed robberies in New York since Mikhaylich started his holiday spree in 2009. However, this was invented by a reporter who never even interviewed Sutton. 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. 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. May 2, 2004, Frank and Jesse James: The Story Behind the Legend. 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. One of the fake heads used by the Anglin brothers and Frank Morris bank robbers all during their 1962 escape from Alcatraz. 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. ", "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. After a failed escape attempt, and after serving 7 years, he applied for a 20 month leave of absence which was granted. Martinez, an attractive college student, would approach a bank teller while talking on her cell phone. May 6, 1925, Its an old up! 5. In the 1920s a surge of bank robberies across the United States began which continued through the Great Depression of the 1930s. North Hollywood shootout, 1997, deadly . The riders escaped pursuit by a posse. The . 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. 5. November 1968, Why family believes Alcatraz escapees survived their journey. Sam Bass 1851-1878. The 20 best bank robbery movies - IMDb Mug shot of Lester Gillis, alias George Nelson, known to history as Baby Face Nelson. Here are our sources: The Canadian View of the Confederate Raid on Saint Albans. 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. He was executed at the Ohio State Penitentiary in October 1934, after a failed escape attempt left him severely wounded. 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. Their point of entry was a tunnel they dug from the sewers. He was executed at the Oklahoma State Penitentiary in 2002, by lethal injection. The Rich Hill Tribune, August 19, 1909. 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. theunredacted 26 Feb 2018. 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 small explosion occurred in public outside the bank, causing witnesses to take notice of the man. On Feb. 10, 1997, Bowman and Kirkpatrick robbed the Seafirst Bank of $4,461,681.00. 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 has killed more FBI agents than any other single American citizen. So I never let anyone (not even my wife or best friend) know what I was doing. "I think morality is very subjective. The first bank robbery caught on camerafrom 1957. According to the Federal Bureau of Investigation, in 2019, out of 267,988 robberies, 1.4% were linked to banks. 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. In August he robbed another, in Bluffton, Ohio. In reality, they killed several. 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. The police in automobiles were able to run them down quickly, and they were apprehended and taken to jail. Wikimedia. In 1972, the name of then US President Richard Nixon was . Unbeknownst to the three was that they were being monitored by security cameras, the film from which was broadcast that night on national television. Nelson was arrested for theft and joyriding at age 13, and was sent to a penal school for 18 months. The 15 Greatest Bank Robbers of All Time | TheRichest 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 . Baghdad holds the infamous record for the . He also participated in many high profile bank robberies until his death at the Battle of Barrington. They then left the bank with about $7,000 in mostly small bills. This time he escaped through a tunnel along with other convicts, although he was recaptured the same day. I enjoyed everything about it so much that one or two weeks later Id be out looking for the next job. 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. One difference of course is that he used a machine gun versus a bow and arrow.