The Top 12 Most Fascinating Bank Thefts in History

Bank thefts have been happening for centuries, and while they can be dangerous and damaging to the victims, some of these incidents have been particularly fascinating. From daring heists to intricate scams, here are some of the most interesting bank thefts in history.

The Great Train Robbery
In August 1963, a gang of 15 robbers stopped a mail train carrying millions of pounds in cash. The train was traveling from Glasgow to London, and the robbers managed to get away with £2.6 million in cash (which is equivalent to around £50 million today). The robbers were eventually caught, but not before they had managed to hide most of the money. Many people believe that some of the stolen cash is still out there, waiting to be found.

The Antwerp Diamond Heist
In February 2003, a group of thieves managed to steal $100 million worth of diamonds from the Antwerp Diamond Center. The thieves spent over two years planning the heist and managed to break into the vault using a combination of inside knowledge and advanced technology. The diamonds have never been recovered, and the thieves remain at large.

The Banco Central Burglary
In August 2005, a group of thieves in Brazil managed to tunnel their way into the vault of the Banco Central and steal around $70 million in cash. The thieves spent three months digging the tunnel, which was over 250 feet long and passed under several buildings. The robbers were eventually caught, but most of the money has never been recovered.

The Stockholm Syndrome Robbery
In August 1973, two criminals attempted to rob a bank in Stockholm, Sweden. The robbery went wrong, and the two criminals ended up taking four hostages. Over the next six days, the hostages began to develop a strange bond with their captors and even defended them after they were released. This incident became known as the Stockholm Syndrome and has been studied by psychologists ever since.

The Brink's-Mat Robbery
In November 1983, a group of robbers broke into the Brink's-Mat warehouse at London's Heathrow Airport and stole 6,800 gold bars, worth around $26 million. The robbers had been tipped off by an insider and used gas to knock out the guards before making off with the gold. The robbers were eventually caught, but only a fraction of the gold was ever recovered.

The Baker Street Robbery
In September 1971, a gang of robbers broke into the Baker Street branch of Lloyds Bank in London and stole £3 million in cash (which is equivalent to around £40 million today). The robbers had spent months tunneling their way into the vault and managed to escape before the police arrived. The robbers were eventually caught, but most of the money was never recovered.

The Dunbar Armored Robbery
In September 1997, six employees of Dunbar Armored managed to steal $18.9 million in cash from the company's vault in Los Angeles. The robbers had used a variety of tactics to get access to the vault, including posing as security guards and disabling the alarms. The robbers were eventually caught, and most of the money was recovered.

The Banco Central de Chile Robbery
In August 2007, a group of thieves in Chile managed to tunnel their way into the vault of the Banco Central and steal $69 million in cash. The robbers had spent months digging the tunnel, which was over 300 feet long and passed under several buildings. The robbers were eventually caught, but only a fraction of the money was ever recovered.

The Hatton Garden Safe Deposit Burglary
In April 2015,a group of elderly men pulled off a daring heist at Hatton Garden, London's diamond district. The group of burglars, who were all in their sixties or seventies, spent over three years planning the heist, which involved drilling through concrete walls and breaking into safety deposit boxes. They made off with over £14 million worth of jewelry and other valuables. While some of the group were eventually caught and jailed, others managed to evade capture.

The Rīga Castle Museum Robbery
In 2013, thieves in Latvia stole a collection of historic coins from the Rīga Castle Museum. The coins were estimated to be worth around €1 million, and the thieves had managed to break into the museum undetected. However, the police were able to catch the thieves thanks to CCTV footage and DNA evidence, and most of the coins were recovered.

The Banco do Brasil Vault Robbery
In August 2020, thieves in Brazil managed to break into the vault of the Banco do Brasil in São Paulo and make off with around $40 million in cash. The thieves had used a combination of explosives and gas to gain access to the vault and had spent several months planning the heist. However, the police were able to catch several of the thieves and recover some of the stolen money.

The Pink Panthers
The Pink Panthers are a notorious gang of jewel thieves who have been responsible for some of the biggest heists in recent history. The gang, which is believed to be made up of around 200 members, is named after the Pink Panther films due to their love of diamonds. They have been responsible for stealing millions of dollars worth of jewelry from high-end stores around the world, including a $50 million heist in Tokyo in 2004.

While bank thefts are often dangerous and have serious consequences for their victims, some of these incidents have been particularly intriguing due to their scale and audacity. From daring heists to elaborate scams, these bank thefts have captured the public's imagination and continue to be studied and discussed by experts and amateurs alike.