Famous Robbery Cases

The Great Train Robbery (1963)
In the early hours of August 8, 1963, a group of 15 criminals meticulously executed one of the most infamous heists in British history: The Great Train Robbery. The perpetrators, led by mastermind Edward “Big Ed” Roberts, managed to hijack a Royal Mail train on its way to Scotland. The robbers meticulously planned their operation, including cutting off the telephone wires to the signal box and employing a fake signal to stop the train. Their haul? £2.6 million—equivalent to over £50 million today. However, despite their initial success, the gang's downfall came through a series of unfortunate mistakes, including an informant within their ranks and a string of imprudent spending. By 1965, most of the robbers were arrested and brought to justice, with many serving long prison sentences.

The Lufthansa Heist (1978)
The Lufthansa Heist, famously depicted in Martin Scorsese's film Goodfellas, remains one of the largest cash thefts in American history. On December 11, 1978, a group of mobsters, working with insider information, stole $5 million in cash and $875,000 in jewelry from Lufthansa's cargo facility at John F. Kennedy International Airport. The heist was orchestrated by James Burke, a notorious mobster known as "The Beast." The robbery was executed with precision; however, the aftermath was marked by a series of murders, as those involved were systematically eliminated to avoid police detection. Despite extensive investigations and numerous arrests, the bulk of the stolen money was never recovered.

The Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum Heist (1990)
One of the most audacious art thefts in history occurred on March 18, 1990, when two men disguised as police officers gained entry into the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum in Boston. Once inside, they managed to steal 13 pieces of art valued at $500 million, including works by Vermeer, Rembrandt, and Degas. The heist was so meticulously planned that the thieves were able to exit the museum with the priceless artwork without triggering any alarms. Despite extensive investigations and a $10 million reward for information leading to the recovery of the artworks, none of the stolen pieces have been recovered, and the case remains unsolved.

The Banco Central Heist (2005)
In what is considered one of the most sophisticated bank heists in history, on March 7, 2005, a group of Brazilian criminals executed a robbery at the Banco Central in Fortaleza, Brazil. The gang spent three months digging a tunnel from a rented property to the bank’s vault. The tunnel was an engineering marvel, complete with lighting and ventilation. During the heist, they managed to steal approximately $70 million. However, the gang made the critical mistake of hiding in plain sight, which led to their capture. By 2006, most members of the gang were arrested, and a significant portion of the stolen money was recovered.

The D.B. Cooper Case (1971)
D.B. Cooper is the pseudonym given to an unidentified man who, on November 24, 1971, hijacked a Boeing 727 aircraft. Cooper demanded $200,000 in ransom, which he received, and then parachuted out of the plane over the rugged terrain of the Pacific Northwest. Despite an extensive search and an ongoing investigation, neither Cooper nor the ransom money was ever found. The case has become a legendary unsolved mystery, inspiring numerous theories and extensive media coverage.