He also knew that the vault would be open on a Friday night when large quantities of money were removed. Left luggage at central station - Amsterdam Forum - Tripadvisor This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. It was the inside job that the thieves disguised to look like a standard heist. has jurisdiction in the case. He characterized both suspects as ''important players in this crime.''. The investigators finally connected the whole gang to the crime scheme, with most cash returned, $2 million still missing, and "Masterminds" comedy released following the events. Although it is based on a made-up story, the series arouses curiosity on how something as big and unlawful as that could have happened in real life. Both weathered and new criminals stole hefty sums, with still-pending investigations, and much of the money often unrecovered. The guard, 25-year-old Christos Potamitis, composed . The $30-million in cash and valuables would be worth roughly $170 million today. Dunbar Armoured robbery (1997, $17.3M) 3. official said. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. Stolen from the Pierre Hotel in New York, the legendary heist was worth $27 Million. These biggest heists and bank robberies in American history are as diverse as the individuals who planned and committed them. The guard claimed thatthievesjumped him, but the prosecution knew better. According to Mr. Laster, Mr. Potamitis traveled alone to Puerto Rico for vacation several days ago. The group had various fates upon parting ways, with Nalo killed by an unknown gunman in 1988, and Comfort, killed by mafia bosses. Sentry Armored Car-Courier, which was robbed of a record-breaking This is a digitized version of an article from The Timess print archive, before the start of online publication in 1996. Severed hand at side of Michigan highway was a rubber fake. He said as many as 100 people had access to the bag of cash during the six-day period it was in the vault. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Performance". The theft was planned by Mr. Potamitis and Mr. Legakis and others, Chief Sullivan said. #288896. Sign up now to get the Washington Examiners breaking news and timely commentary delivered right to your inbox. PaySpace Magazine Global offers you tofind out what the greatest thefts on American soil were and how they were committed. Subscribe our newsletter to get the best stories into your inbox! On June 26, an armored truck was robbed of $10.8 million in a Rochester suburb, the largest amount taken from an armored vehicle in U.S. history. It involved a six-man team with Allen Pace in the lead, who was a "safety inspector" at the Dunbar Armored trucking company. Occasionally the digitization process introduces transcription errors or other problems; we are continuing to work to improve these archived versions. Sentry officials told police the missing bag contained $225,000. 'They put it in their vault, at least that's what they call it,' McCarthy said. Date: March 29, 1997. While authorities did not say how much was taken, the amount was believed to be in the thousands of dollars. As it turns out, 1997 was the year to rob armored car companies and break heist records. In announcing the arrests, Federal and New York law-enforcement authorities said none of the money had been recovered. ''Nearly $1 million in cold cash traceable to the Sentry theft has been recovered by the F.B.I.,'' Mr. Block said in his opening statement in the theft conspiracy trial in Federal District Court. Date: September 12, 1997. Josh Fields for Yordan Alvarez (8/1/16) #LevelUp . His storage shed with approximately $18 million was also already uncovered. Mr. Legakis had gone to the F.B.I. ''It has been a day-and-night investigation, with surveillance and all the normal things you do in a case like this,'' Mr. Laster said. Nick "the cat" Sacco, and a freelance contract killer, Donald Frankos also participated. Another man, Howard Marshall, 35, was acquitted of charges of conspiracy and two counts of perjury. '', ''Unknown thieves'' broke into the Sentry building and carried out the $11 million robbery, Mr. Roseman said. Allen Pace, a safety inspector for Dunbar, used his inside knowledge of the Los Angeles depot to plan his heist. New York is the scene for three of the eight most legendary heists, while two of the biggest happened in a third-of-a-year span for a total amount of around $60 million. Sentry Armoured Car Company robbery. 2011 - 2023 PaySpaceMagazine. Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with relevant ads and marketing campaigns. By the end, they would suffer two huge heists, $36.1-million in losses (a little over $50-million in 2016 with inflation). Dunbar Armoured robbery. NEW YORK (AP) _ Two more men were found guilty Thursday night on charges arising from the theft of $11 million from the Sentry Armored Car Co., the largest cash robbery in U.S. history. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. He added that the jury must determine ''whether that robbery was staged or whether it was for real. Chris Potamitis. Given the popularity of the Money Heist series on Netflix, you might be curious how the largest robberies on the American soil were committed in real life, Money Heist in real life: 5 largest cash heists in US history. of Demetrios Papadakos for alleged role in Sentry armored car company robbery in New York City last December reported; details given, films shown. 'Not Acting Alone'. Phillip Noel Johnson, a driver for Loomis Fargo, overpowered two co-workers to take almost $19-million. Date: March 24, 1972. However, the next morning Ghantt was considered to be the prime suspect as he was the only missing employee. TimesMachine is an exclusive benefit for home delivery and digital subscribers. Gregory faces a possible 30 years in prison. With better security, bigger charges, and worse punishments, there are no recent heists or big bank robberies. March 1997 Loomis Fargo robbery. Sentencing for both was set for April 12. The main culprit, mastermind, and leader, Joseph Big Joe McGinnis led his armed gang of eleven, dressed in bank uniforms and Halloween masks. Less than $2 million of the loot has been recovered. NEW YORK -- The $8 million theft from the Sentry Armored Car depot may be the biggest cash robbery in Amercian history but it is far from the $400 million world's record. It was there, in the unwashed racks of the dishwasher that they were able to pull prints, which they used to unravel the gang with federal warrants for their arrest. Rumor has it that American gangster, Jimmy Burke, was the mastermind behind the heist. -$1.5 million was taken from a Plymouth, Mass., bank in 1952. Was money heist actually filmed in the Royal Mint? Sentencing for both was set for April 12. Dubious From the Start. ''He was sunning himself by the pool most of the afternoon and until we made the arrest.''. Dunbar Armoured robbery. Anyhow, nearly $2 million of stolen cash is still missing to this day. 'At 8 p.m. (Wednesday) when they went to load it on a van they saw two bags,' McCarthy said. The mastermind of the Dunbar Armoured robbery was its regional safety inspector named Allen Pace. United Calif. Bank robbery (1972, $30M) 2. All told, youre staring down the barrel of almost$100-million in robberies. Netherlands. Villa 9 room villa. 1,944,698. All maps, graphics, flags, photos and original descriptions 2023 worldatlas.com, 3 Requirements To Achieve Happiness According to Epictetus, 10 Countries Where Women Far Outnumber Men. Pace learned the inner workings and security procedures at the Dunbar facility in Los Angeles during his employment, including cameras, and timed the heist to avoid them. One of the most famous robberies in American history took place in the Bronx neighborhood of New York City when Sentry Armoured Car Company lost a hefty $11 million in a cleverly-orchestrated heist. New York Armored Car Co. Robbery / Follow-Up | Vanderbilt Television Colorado law seeks to prevent and hide information about medication abortion reversal, Crenshaw dubs TikTok 'ultimate psychological warfare weapon,' signals support for absolute ban, Trump lawyers ask for mistrial in E Jean Carroll defamation and battery case, Reporters Notebook: Democrats Joe Manchin problem, Reporters Notebook: Republicans take a hammer to Dems climate law. It wasn't an armed robbery,' McCarthy said. Single guys as I remember on certain nights. The crime was disclosed when one of the thieves gave one of the brokers he dealt with a stack of cash with the original currency straps on it. There was Robert "Bobby" Germaine and Alan Visconti, two associates of the Lucchese crime family, Ali-Ben, a contract killer for the Turkish mafia, and his brother-in-law, Al Green. Asked by reporters how the two men had the sophistication to commit the crime, Chief Sullivan said, ''It doesn't require any great brains to pull a larceny like this in such a poorly guarded place.''. However, history dictates that the most notorious criminals will overcome challenges to get rich on the spot. Was money heist a flop in Spain? He enlisted five childhood pals to help him. Samuel Nalo and Robert Comfort went down in history in 1972 with a crime in the Guinness World Records as the "most successful hotel robbery." If you accept the concept that nobody woke up then decided to become a big-time bank robber, then you have to wonder how these folks wound up on this list. An adult bar with cover and play areas where anything goes. Any editing, reproduction, publication, rebroadcast, public showing or public display may be prohibited by copyright laws. Date: October 4, 1997. (renews at {{format_dollars}}{{start_price}}{{format_cents}}/month + tax). Larry Andersen for Jeff Bagwell (1989) 1. Sentry picked up three bags of cash totaling $511,000 from the Yonkers Raceway on a routine haul sometime before midnight Tuesday, he said. The money was being delivered to the Key Bank branch just inside the entrance of the mall where the armored car was parked. These cookies ensure basic functionalities and security features of the website, anonymously. October 1997 Loomis Fargo robbery. It is no surprise that the richest country in the world is set for historical heists and bank robberies. The money was to be transferred to the federal reserve bank in Manhattan. They caught Johnson attempting to cross the border into Mexico riding a bus. Pace even managed to determine how security cameras could be avoided. '', Another defense lawyer, Joel Winograd, described his client, Eddie Argitakos, as a graduate of Hofstra University who worked in his father's travel agency and became a highly respected accountant. There you have it. The guard, 25-year-old Christos Potamitis, composed a scenario with armed associates, who punched a hole in the wooden roof of the armored companys headquarters. Its the bold possibility which makes the risk worth while. They would have made off with the cash, but they got greedy, trying to pull off a similar heist closer to home in Ohio. March 1997 Loomis Fargo robbery. Because some of the $11 million was federally insured, the F.B.I. Once authoritiesfigured that much out, it was easy to find useful information about the thieves, like pictures, the addresses of family, and more. -$1.6 million was taken but immediately recovered following the ambush of a Brink's armored car at a shopping mall near Nyack, N.Y., Oct. 20, 1981, by fugitive members of the radical Weather Underground and Black Liberation Army. These biggest heists and bank robberies in American history are also some of the most interesting ones. Two More Convicted In $11 Million Cash Robbery | AP News Functional cookies help to perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms, collect feedbacks, and other third-party features. Mr. Potamitis was also charged with perjury before the grand jury. The following morning Ghantt was the main suspect at work as the only absent employee, as well as seen on cameras. Eventually, eight people convicted for this crime, with as many as sixteen others proven of having indirectly helped them. Date: December 12, 1982. Keep reading with unlimited digital access. In August he tried to move back to the U.S., but due to his suspicious responses to Customs Agents questions, he came under the scrutiny of the authorities. Date: March 24, 1972. Five men were later arrested, including one who was found by FBI agents in Puerto Rico sunning himself at a hotel pool. Date: October 4, 1997. Investigators believe it was an inside job, and say the latest robbery may also have been committed by a Sentry employee. These criminals heard a rumor that President Richard Nixon kept a multimillion-dollar stash at this particular United California Bank. Re: Best adult clubs where entry is restricted for naked ppl. Date: December 12, 1982. Reply. 4 Gunmen Rob Armored Truck at Galleria Take Unknown Amount From 2 Brink NEW YORK -- The $8 million theft from the Sentry Armored Car depot may be the biggest cash robbery in Amercian history but it is far from the $400 million world's record. Dunbar Armoured robbery (1997, $17.3M) 3. also were interviewing people inside the Key Bank branch, which is across from Ruby Tuesday's. Sentry Armoured Car Company was robbed of $11 million by its guard Christos Potamitis and his associates. The good news from this heist, at least for Loomis Fargo was, they recovered about 95% of the stolen cash. He recruited five childhood friends for the robbery, who all broke in during lunch break, assaulted two guards, and robbed the vault, all in half an hour. New York Armored Car Co. Robbery / Follow-Up. The jury deliberated for two days before reaching its verdict. Professional robber, Amil Dinsio enlisted his brother, James, his nephews, his brother-in-law, and two other conspirators to pull off the heist. Sentry Armoured Car Company robbery. Date: December 12, 1982. Top 10 Alcohol Consuming Countries In The World. ''The key word in this case,'' he told the jury, ''will be the credibility of the witnesses. Potamitis let them in and handcuffed himself to appear victimized, for the best inside job of the century. Commodities and Capabilities | Amartya Sen - Harvard University Before the $11 million theft, the previous record cash theft in the United States was the $5.8 million in cash and jewelry stolen from the Lufthansa cargo area at Kennedy International Airport in December 1978. New York Armored Car Robbery / Follow-Up - Vanderbilt Television News Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. Connect with the definitive source for global and local news. His partner in crime, 21-year-old George Legaki voluntarily showed up for questioning and was taken on the spot. Copsfound a townhouse the boys rented in California to stage their heist. There were four or five other co-conspirators in this heist. office accompanied by his lawyer to be questioned in connection with the seven-week-old investigation. Sentry Armoured Car Company robbery. This heist was the second that thecompany had faced in seven months. Date: October 4, 1997. Thiswas the second largest cash robbery at the time, right behind the Florida Loomis Fargo robbery. Date: September 12, 1997. They walked into the vault using his keys, avoided cameras using his knowledge of how they worked, then ambushed the two guards. There are also three movies inspired by the heist of "10 Million Dollar Getaway," "The Big Heist," and the infamous "Goodfellas" film. Missing dog found 6 years later, 470 miles from home. It does not store any personal data. They acquitted one man. United California Bank robbery. They convicted and sentencedhim to25-years in prison. Residential properties for sale in Amsterdam, Netherlands On Dec. 13, the police said, Mr. Potamitis told them he had been surprised by two masked men in Sentry's building at 3548 Boston Road in the Williamsbridge section of the Bronx. ''They were not acting alone,'' Mr. Laster said, referring to Mr. Potamitis and Mr. Legakis. Nicholas Gregory, 41, an alleged mastermind of the December 1982 robbery who was a fugitive for two years, was convicted of bank robbery, interstate . Enjoy. All authoritieshad to do was get the guard talking. His associates were to hide the cash until the heat was off. All five were convicted and sent to prison. They blasted their way into the vault roof, using dynamite to get through the concrete. October 1997 Loomis Fargo robbery. Authorities only recovered half the cash from this heist. On the update version of Hot off the Wire (posted March 3 at 6:18 a.m. CT): South Carolina lawyer Alex Murdaugh has been convicted of murder in the shooting deaths of his wife and son. Ali-Ben and Al Green escaped to Europe, while "The Cat" sole survivor sitsimprisoned for another crime. Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors. '', The other defense lawyers, Martin Schmukler and Michael Washor, also attacked the prosecution's case and asserted that the defendants were innocent of all the charges. 'Own Selfish Motives', Arnold D. Roseman, the lawyer for Mr. Potamitis, said the informants were suspects in the Sentry robbery who would tailor their testimony to ''suit their own selfish motives. These cookies track visitors across websites and collect information to provide customized ads. Upon loading over $17.3 million into a branded truck, Ghantt moved the cash to private cars with his associates. Sentry Armoured Car Company robbery (1982,$11M) 4. CBS Evening News for Saturday, Feb 05, 1983. Less than $2 million of the loot has been recovered. Date: March 24, 1972. There are some cases where the bads guys did get away with it, but thats a tale for another time on History Things. NEW YORK (AP) _ Two more men were found guilty Thursday night on charges arising from the theft of $11 million from the Sentry Armored Car Co., the largest cash robbery in U.S. history. Nicholas Gregory, 41, an alleged mastermind of the December 1982 robbery who was a fugitive for two years, was convicted of bank robbery, interstate transportation of stolen goods, conspiracy and theft of food stamps, said Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert Garcia. He had been staying at the Holiday Inn the Condado Beach section of San Juan, the F.B.I. October 1997 Loomis Fargo robbery. "It appeared to be very well planned," Morath said of the robbery. No Criminal Records, Law-enforcement officials said both suspects apparently had no criminal records. Later officials found a townhouse the robbers rented in California to stage their heist. The plot revolves around two heists: on the Royal Mint of Spain, and on the Bank of Spain. Rob in Cypress on Twitter: "Counting down the biggest heists in US