10 most successful bank robberies in history

By Moses Ngahu Over the years, the world has recorded some of the most shocking bank robberies. Some of them were so sophisticated that a lot of engineering, time, and precision went into executing them. Nairobi Review does not in anyway condone these incidents, but in this article, we profile some of the bank robberies referred to as the best in history. Banco Central Burglary at Fortaleza: Brazil, 2005: $71.6 million This is considered the greatest robbery of the 21st century. The Banco Central burglary took place in Brazil. The robbers targeted the bank's vault on August 6, 2005. They gained access to the bank by tunnelling underground. [caption id="attachment_15813" align="alignnone" width="960"] File image of a tunnel dug during the Banco Central robbery. |Photo| Courtesy|[/caption] According to police reports, the burglars withdrew five containers of 50-real notes with an estimate of R$164,755,150 which was equivalent to 71.6 million dollars at the 2005 exchange rate. What puzzled the police is how the robbers were able to carry the cash out considering it weighed about 3.5 tons. Out of the 25 people alleged to be connected to the robbery, only eight have been caught so far and R$20 million recovered. The robbers are said to have disguised themselves as landscapers while digging the 256-foot tunnel. Brink's-MAT Robbery: London 1983 The heist was conducted by a gang of six people who made their way to Brink's-MAT warehouse at Heathrow Airport. It is said the gang had inside help from the security guard. Apparently, their plan was to just steal £3 million in cash which was thought to be under lock and key. The plan changed after they discovered an additional three tons of gold bullion and diamonds. [caption id="attachment_15814" align="alignnone" width="1841"] Brink's-MAT Robbery: London 1983. |Photo| Courtesy|[/caption] The heist has been linked to several murders in what was termed as silencing of people. Most of the gang has been convicted but the gold has never been recovered up to now. Securitas Depot Robbery: Kent, UK, 2006: $83 million This is considered the largest cash heist in Britain's history and was executed with a more violent vision than others. Posing as police, the gang kidnapped the Securitas branch manager and his whole family. Armed with serious weapons the thieves brought the anger to the depot where they bound the other 14 employees and forced the manager to open the cash cages. The group was later caught and convicted, although one got away and is believed to be hiding in West Indies. [caption id="attachment_15812" align="alignnone" width="983"] Securitas Depot Robbery: Kent, UK, 2006: $83 million. |Photo| Courtesy|[/caption] Northern Bank Robbery: Belfast, UK, 2004: $41 million The heist was conducted on Christmas when a gang posing as officials coaxed their way into the homes of two bank branch managers. They held their families at gunpoint and instructed the managers to let them inside the banks at the end of business hours. They looted the place and later released the families unharmed. People say the heist was conducted by the Provisional IRA or Sinn Fein. The heist has never been resolved. [caption id="attachment_15811" align="alignnone" width="969"] Northern Bank Robbery: Belfast, UK, 2004: $41 million. |Photo| Courtesy|[/caption] Central Bank of Iraq Heist: Baghdad Iraq: 2003: Over $920 million Is considered the biggest heist in history. The heist is alleged to have been directed by Saddam Hussein himself days after the American invasion. A note signed by Hissein surfaced instructing that $920 million be withdrawn by the bank and given to his son Qusay. It is said the son spent the best part of the five-hour heist loading the cash into vehicles and sent to an undisclosed location. Today, it is unclear how much money went missing that day and it is unclear how much has been recovered. [caption id="attachment_15810" align="alignnone" width="973"] Central Bank of Iraq Heist: Baghdad Iraq: 2003: Over $920 million. |Photo| Courtesy|[/caption] British Bank of The Middle East Robbery: Beirut Lebanon; 1976: Between $20-$50 million The heist took place in the heart of Lebanon's civil war where a group associated with the Palestinian Liberation Organization blasted through the bank's walls using a church next door. They had hired a crack team of locksmiths to bust open the vault. When they were finished, they walked away with up to $50 million worth of gold, cash, stock, and even jewels. [caption id="attachment_15809" align="alignnone" width="670"] British Bank of The Middle East Robbery: Beirut Lebanon; 1976: Between $20-$50 million. |Photo| Courtesy|[/caption] The Knightsbridge Vault Robbery: London 1987: $97 million The ring leader of the heist was an Italian playboy and career criminal Valerio Viccei who by the time had been implicated in over 50 different heists during his lifetime. Surprisingly, the execution of the robbery was quite simple. After gaining access to the bank during working hours, the Italian said he wanted to open a safety deposit box. With his accomplices, they took the manager and the security and freed them which made more accomplices enter the bank. They managed to bust the vault and walked out with $97 million in cash, jewellery, and other valuables. [caption id="attachment_15808" align="alignnone" width="947"] The Knightsbridge Vault Robbery: London 1987: $97 million. |Photo| Courtesy|[/caption] Dar Es Salaam Bank Heist: Iraq 2007: $282 million Up to now, details about the heist are unknown. It is unclear why the bank had so much American cash on hand. The heist is said to be organized by security guards. It is also alleged that the robbers had police help and militias who allowed them to pass through the different checkpoints. [caption id="attachment_15807" align="alignnone" width="979"] Photo| Courtesy|[/caption] The Great Train Robbery: Glasgow to London Train: $2.6 million The heist took place on a train from Glasgow to London. A group of 15 robbers were involved in the heist and they executed it well. They rigged the trackside signals to stop the train in a remote location. [caption id="attachment_15806" align="alignnone" width="1016"] The Great Train Robbery: Glasgow to London Train: $2.6 million. |Photo| Courtesy|[/caption] The Dunbar Armored Robbery: U.S 1997: $18.9 million The heist was executed by 6 men who pulled off what remains to be the biggest cash heist in the history of the US. The leader identified as Allen Pace turned out to be the worst safety inspector of Durbar Armored Company. He turned off the security cameras at the facility to avoid them and with the help of five recruits, they offloaded the vault. [caption id="attachment_15805" align="alignnone" width="962"] File image of a Dunbar Armored truck. |Photo| Courtesy|[/caption]