A 1950 robbery of a brinks bank in boston by men in masks sets of a massive search for those responsible. How the brinks robbers stole millions and the heart of boston. Behn also wrote for television and served as a creative consultant on the acclaimed series homicide. The daring great brinks robbery is carried out in boston. The morning of march 25, 1952, a threemancrew of the u. Archivist richard trasks history of the event dates back to 1952. The bullion was the property of johnson matthey bankers ltd, which collapsed the following year after making large loans to frauds and insolvent firms. Download it once and read it on your kindle device, pc, phones or tablets. Brinks is robbed in boston again the new york times.
The robberies baffled both police and fellow outlaws for decades, and most of the crimes remain unsolved today. In january of 1950, the great brinks robbery occurred in the same location as the large building pictured behind me. The dictionary says a heist is a robbery from an institution such as a bank or a museum with the objective. Elmer burke was a hit man during the midtolate 1940s in new york. How the brinks robbers stole millions and the hearts of boston.
Some of the brink s loot was recovered from this office at 617. The inside story of the gang who pulled off bostons greatest robbery. The fbi states the men involved had just committed the crime of the century, the perfect crime fbi. Sixtytwo years ago tuesday, boston was rocked with the news that the brink s armored car company had been robbed of more than a million dollars then the biggest armed robbery in us history. The great brinks robbery was an armed robbery of the brinks building at the east corner of. Maffie died sunday at brigham and womens hospital after a long illness. Schorow, a former journalist for the boston herald and the associated press, has written several local history books, including inside the combat zone, the boston mob guide, drinking boston, boston on fire, and the cocoanut grove fire. Dubbed the crime of the century, the heist was the work of an 11man gang who used copied keys to gain entry into the brinks building. Oclcs webjunction has pulled together information and resources to assist library staff as they consider how to handle coronavirus. Big stickup at brinks the inside story of the gang. The great brinks robbery the armed robbery of the brinks building in boston, massachusetts went down on january 17, 1950.
Archivist looks back at the 1952 brinks robbery in danvers. It was the perfect crimealmostas the culprits werent caught until january 1956, just days before the statute of limitations for the theft. Discover site of the great brinks robbery in boston, massachusetts. Loved this account of the famous brinks robbery of january 1950 in boston. The great brink s robbery was an armed robbery of the brink s building at the east corner of prince st. The great brinks robbery was the biggest armed robbery in u. A gang that allegedly held up armored cars and banks around new england before killing two guards in a brazen daylight robbery was the target of five indictments yesterday. The planning and practice had a military intensity to them. It happened in 1950 at the brinks armored car depot in bostons north end. The notorious brinks robbery of 1950 has intrigued writers and hollywood producers, ever since masked bandits crept into the brinks headquarters in the north end and escaped with millions of dollars. Filling 14 canvas bags with cash, coins, checks and money ordersfor a total weight. In a stroll of charlestown on a sunny day, its hard to believe this tiny boston neighborhood could be the bank robbery capital of america the warner bros.
The great brinks robbery or brinks job is one of the fbis most famous cases. Use features like bookmarks, note taking and highlighting while reading big stickup at brinks the inside story of the gang who pulled off bostons greatest robbery. Mastermind of the legendary brink s armored truck robbery and a string of countless other highstakes heists, he stole more than ten million dollars in escapades that often were breathtakingly daring and at times marvelously inventive. Brinks robber was a wouldbe novelist the boston globe. I am a resident of the boston area and i knew where a lot of the places mentioned in this book are. Federal bureau of investigation to the other members of the gang in the widely publicized 1950 brinks robbery in. This was pretty easy reading and i really enjoyed it. The great brinks robbery, as it quickly became known, was nearly known as the perfect crime, but only.
A gang of 11 men set out on a meticulous 18month quest to rob the brinks headquarters in boston, the homebase of the legendary private security firm. The crime of the century by stephanie schorow goodreads. The petty criminals who robbed the brinks garage in bostons north end. In the end, it is a book about the great brinks robbery and it was a great read. Peter carrthe journal news this was a traumatic event, van cura said. Big stickup at brinks the inside story of the gang who pulled off bostons greatest robbery kindle edition by behn, noel. Best bank robbery books a list of books about bank robberiesreal or fiction. Mastermind of the legendary brinks armored truck robbery and a string of countless other highstakes heists, he stole more than ten million dollars in escapades that often were breathtakingly daring and at times marvelously inventive. In this story elmer trigger burke plays a supporting role in the brinks job.
Brinks supply source is an efficient way to purchase all your cit and cash management supplies in one place. The almost perfect crime news metrowest daily news. Directed by william friedkin the french connection, the exorcist, this 1978 film is based upon the real 1950 boston brinks robbery, which netted the thieves almost three million dollars, and was at the time, the largest robbery in american history. I see the brinks robbery as a story of boston life and decided to go for it. This parking garage was once a depository for brinks inc. On january 17, 1950, employees of the security firm brinks, inc. Numerous and frequentlyupdated resource results are available from this search. Boston thieves pull off historic robbery bowie news. At the time, the brinks heist in boston was called the crime of the century. Reliable information about the coronavirus covid19 is available from the world health organization current situation, international travel. Larkin for my book and was quoted in the globe obituary. The great brinks robbery boston, ma infamous crime. The building is now a parking garage, but in the 1950s it was the brinks building of the brinks company.
Each man was carrying a pistol, wearing a navytype pcoat, chauffeurs cap and wearing a halloweentype mask. The best book about criminals ever written, a rich and beautiful depiction of their lives. Today the building is a parking garage located at 600 commercial street. On the evening of january 17, 1950, armed robbers wearing captain marvel masks entered the brinks armored car building in boston, massachusetts. Evidence from brinks robbery on display at the sheriffs department in new city jan. This is his version of the brinks robbery that happened right here in danvers. This book relates the events before, during and after the famous brinks robbery in. In 1941, he was sent to reform school, but later had his sentence cut for joining the army, where he served in the italian campaign as an army ranger. Big stickup at brinks the inside story of the gang who. The great brinks robbery, as it quickly became known, was almost the perfect crime. The great brinks robbery was a famous armed robbery of the brinks building in boston, massachusetts on january 17, 1950. Author stephanie schorow, formerly a reporter at the boston herald, enlivens her book with new material from police archives and her own hunt for the money still missing. Learn how the robbery went down and the medford connection.
A riveting and frequently hilarious insider account of one of the twentieth centurys most outrageous capers. Use features like bookmarks, note taking and highlighting while reading big stickup at brink s the inside story of the gang who pulled off boston s greatest robbery. Okeefe cooperated with writer bob considine on the men who robbed brinks, a 1961 as told to book about the robbery and its aftermath. The notorious brinks robbery of 1950 has intrigued writers and.
It happened in 1950 at the brinks armored car depot in boston s north end. Brinks robbery suspects thomas francis richardson and james faherty hid out at 87 coleman street in dorchester. The great robbery 1976 the fbi spends years tracking the masterminds darren mcgavin, cliff gorman of the infamous 1950 boston armory heist. The men who robbed brinks the inside story of one of the. The first history in thirty years of bostons most celebrated heist details the.
Only days before the statute of limitations was set to expire on the crime, the culprits were finally caught. The petty criminals who robbed the brink s garage in boston s north end nearly 60 years ago are among the citys favorite folk heroes. It was a bold, and a meticulously planned heist, and for six years the culprits managed to evade capture. This parking garage was the site of what was at the time the largest cash robbery in history. Top ten heist novelsjoseph finder has the list when the strand asked me to put together this list, i realized that my definition of heist was both more and less flexible than the dictionarys. The gang of 11 that stole the money after two years.
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