Top 10 Bank Robberies That Left The World In Awe
Some crimes need a super brain. A clever mind with deleterious imagining mostly turns to the criminals that became a legend for centuries. Many movies and novels have glorified these witty, intelligent robbers with a romantic twist and social reform, but not every glitter is gold always. Bank robbers are intelligent heisters who find their mystical ways in the bank lock room and sweep away the money easily.
Here I bring to you the list of world’s top 10 bank robberies that left the whole world awestruck.
- 2003, Central Bank of Iraq ($1billion)
In the history of bank robbery, this heist shocked the whole world. Known as one of the lowest political downfalls, Saddam Hussein was accused of stealing $1 billion from Central Bank of Iraq. During the US bombardment in Baghdad in March 2013, he withdrew $920 million for his son Qusay, who was later killed by the U.S. military during the Iraq war. While most of the money was afterwards recovered from the walls of Hussein’s palace, but hundreds of millions are yet to be discovered.
- 1976, British bank of the Middle East: ($210 million)
The most dreadful bank robbery where people from the Palestine Liberation Organization broke the wall of the bank with the help of special force and heisted $210 million during Beirut’s Civil War. The robbery of the British Bank of the Middle East continued for the week.
- 1987, Knightsbridge Security Deposit Bank Robbery: ($154.7)
The mastermind Valerio Viccei, along with his associates, entered the bank disguised as customers,and after overpowering the guard and putting the closed sign, cleaned all safety deposit boxes worth $66 million at that time.
- 2007, Dar EL Salam: ($282 Million)
This heist of $282 million in Dar Es Salaam Bank, which took place in 2007, is considered to be one of the most silent bank robberies of the world. It is the robbery, where the protector himself becomes the destroyer, I mean the security guard who was appointed to guard the bank himself heisted the latter without even a single noise. While the police had sniffed the involvement of an official, it is not confirmed yet.
- 2007, Sumitomo bank of London: ($300 million)
This heist of Sumitomo Bank in London, which took place in September of 2007, is regarded one of the biggest in Britain’s history at $300 million, but got failed because the hacker was not familiar with the SWIFT system for money transfer and was caught after 23 unsuccessful attempts. Kevin O’ Donoghue, the Chief of the Bank, further accepted his hand with two of his Bulgarian friends.
- 2006, Securitas Depot: ($92.5 million)
Glorified as one of the largest cash heists in Britain at that time, the robbers first abducted the family members of the bank manager in Kent, and then tied 14 staffs and after that stolen $92 million in banknotes and left all the hostages under cash cages.
- 2006, Banco Central, Brazil: ($70 million)
One of the most interesting and creative robberies, the heist made a tunnel below the bank posing as people from the landscaping business. They connected the tunnel with electricity supply and air condition, and then after 3 months of digging, stole almost $70 million from the bank.
- 2004, Northern Bank Robbery: ($50 million)
In Belfast, Northern Ireland, a group of heist held a family hostage to trick the police and some members of the heist waited near the bank to be closed. With the help of some bank officials, robbers swept huge $50 million sums.
- 1997, Dunbar Armored: ($19 million)
In the history of the bank robbery of the United States, this is one of the biggest robberies done by the Allen Pace, the regional safety inspector of the bank. He and his friends managed to heist the bank, but later they were arrested.
- 1992, Bank of France: ($ 30 million)
10 conspirators after kidnapping a family member of the bank guard made their way with $30 million, which is yet to be discovered though some conspirators are in jail now.