Hollywood makes it look easy. A disguise, a getaway car, maybe a dramatic vault explosion. But in real life? Pulling off a bank robbery requires precision, patience, and a ridiculous level of nerve. Most end in messy arrests. But a few—just a few—come dangerously close to brilliance.
These aren’t your average stickups. These are the heists that had investigators shaking their heads in reluctant admiration. They almost pulled it off. Almost.
1. The Dunbar Armored Heist, 1997 (Los Angeles, CA)
This is the largest cash robbery in U.S. history—and it was an inside job. A man named Allen Pace was a regional safety inspector for Dunbar Armored. He spent months studying the facility, timing guards, and identifying blind spots. Then he assembled a team of childhood friends, disabled the security system, and stole $18.9 million—without firing a single shot, as reported in the LA Times.
The crew almost got away with it. They laundered the money through real estate and front businesses. What tripped them up? One guy gave a friend a stack of unmarked bills, still in original wrappers. Classic mistake. Genius until it wasn’t.
2. The Tunnel Job, 2005 (Hollywood, FL)
This one was straight out of a movie. Over months, a crew tunneled under a busy street to break into the safe deposit vault at a Bank of America branch. The tunnel was 80 feet long and included lighting, air conditioning, and support beams. It ended just under the vault floor.
The plan was meticulous. But the vault was reinforced—and they couldn’t break through in time. Police discovered the tunnel before the heist could be completed. If they had made it one more foot? We’d be talking about them like legends.
3. The “Collar Bomb” Heist, 2003 (Erie, PA)
Pizza delivery man Brian Wells walked into a PNC Bank with a bomb locked around his neck and a note demanding $250,000. He claimed he was being forced to rob the bank or the bomb would go off. After handing over just $8,000, he was arrested—and the bomb detonated on live TV minutes later.
It turned out to be a twisted plan orchestrated by a woman named Marjorie Diehl-Armstrong and a crew of co-conspirators. The complexity was next-level, involving scavenger hunts, homemade devices, and multiple players. It would’ve been considered brilliant if it weren’t for the chaos and eventual deaths. Instead, it’s one of the darkest heists in modern history and even inspired a Netflix series, as reported in Time Magazine.
4. The Loomis Fargo Heist, 1997 (Charlotte, NC)
David Ghantt was a vault supervisor at Loomis Fargo. One night, he walked out with $17 million in cash—then fled to Mexico, leaving his co-conspirators to divide the rest. The team started spending wildly: cars, homes, plastic surgery. And that’s what got them caught.
Ghantt, meanwhile, was calmly hiding out on a beach. He didn’t touch the money. He was eventually tracked down because his partners wouldn’t stop bragging. The plan was almost perfect. The problem? The people executing it.
5. The “D.B. Tuber” Case, 2008 (Monroe, WA)
A man disguised in a wig, sunglasses, and a fake mustache robbed a Bank of America branch and escaped via inner tube down a nearby river. He’d staged a Craigslist ad offering day labor, directing dozens of men in identical clothing to wait near the bank—all wearing yellow vests and safety goggles. It was visual chaos.
While the robber made his escape down the Skykomish River, police were overwhelmed by the lookalike decoys. He was caught days later—but not before the entire town buzzed about “the guy who floated away like a cartoon villain.” Absurd. But almost brilliant.
6. The Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum Heist, 1990 (Boston, MA)
OK, technically not a bank, but this art heist deserves a spot. Two men dressed as Boston police officers convinced museum guards they were responding to a disturbance. Once inside, they tied up the staff and stole 13 pieces of art, including works by Vermeer, Rembrandt, and Degas—valued at over $500 million.
There were no alarms, no trace, and no arrests—to this day. It remains the most valuable art theft in the world, and the FBI still has a standing $10 million reward. The theft and investigation are also featured on the museum’s website. Whoever pulled it off didn’t just rob a museum—they made history.
7. The Bellagio “Chip Caper,” 2010 (Las Vegas, NV)
A man in a full motorcycle helmet walked into the Bellagio casino, pulled a gun, and walked out with $1.5 million in high-value chips. He vanished into the Vegas night like a ghost—no identity, no fingerprints. His only mistake? Trying to sell the rare $25,000 chips on poker forums.
Turns out, the Bellagio could deactivate those chips—and did. The robber was caught weeks later after trying to exchange them in small batches. Brilliant entry. Sloppy exit.
8. The Brinks Vault Robbery, 1950 (Boston, MA)
Eleven men in masks, gloves, and military precision robbed a Brinks armored car depot, stealing $2.7 million (nearly $30 million today). They used copied keys, detailed blueprints, and inside knowledge. The heist was flawless. No shots fired. No alarms tripped.
But they got too cocky. Instead of lying low, they started spending. The FBI cracked the case years later—just before the statute of limitations ran out. It was almost the perfect crime.
9. The Credit Union Robbery by the “Cell Phone Bandit,” 2005 (Virginia)
A teenage girl named Cora Hubbard robbed multiple banks while chatting on her cell phone. She looked more like a distracted customer than a thief. Surveillance footage showed her casually making small talk while handing over notes demanding money.
Her nonchalant vibe confused tellers and bought her time. But her phone betrayed her—it was pinging towers the entire time. FBI agents tracked her in days. Smooth execution, but a rookie tech mistake took her down.
10. The Bank Robber Who Faked a Bomb Threat—From His Job at Domino’s
In 2011, a man in Ohio phoned in a bomb threat to a nearby school—intending to distract police while he robbed a PNC Bank across town. It almost worked. Officers were diverted. The robbery went smoothly. But he’d made the call from his workplace: a Domino’s Pizza.
Authorities traced the call within hours. He was arrested during his lunch break. It was a solid distraction plan—ruined by bad planning and worse execution.
This article is for informational purposes only and should not be construed as financial advice. Consult a financial professional before making investment or other financial decisions. The author and publisher make no warranties of any kind.
