who was involved in the brinks robbery

During this operation, one of the employees had lost his glasses; they later could not be found on the Brinks premises. (Geagan, who was on parole at the time, left the truck before it arrived at the home in Roxbury where the loot was unloaded. OKeefe paid his respects to other members of the Brinks gang in Boston on several occasions in the spring of 1954, and it was obvious to the agents handling the investigation that he was trying to solicit money. A t the time, the Brinks-Mat vault was thought to be one of the most secure facilities in the world. All were guilty. At the time it was Britains Another old gang that had specialized in hijacking bootlegged whiskey in the Boston area during Prohibition became the subject of inquiries. She also covered the 1950s Brinks robbery and was a medical reporter for the Boston Herald. In the hours immediately following the robbery, the underworld began to feel the heat of the investigation. He had been released on parole from the Norfolk, Massachusetts, Prison Colony on August 22, 1949only five months before the robbery. The casing operation was so thorough that the criminals could determine the type of activity taking place in the Brinks offices by observing the lights inside the building, and they knew the number of personnel on duty at various hours of the day. The alibi, in fact, was almost too good. As the truck drove past the Brinks offices, the robbers noted that the lights were out on the Prince Street side of the building. At the time of his arrest, there also was a charge of armed robbery outstanding against him in Massachusetts. The FBI approached O'Keefe in the hospital and on January 6, 1956, he decided to talk. During the trip from Roxbury, Pino distributed Navy-type peacoats and chauffeurs caps to the other seven men in the rear of the truck. That prison term, together with Pinos conviction in March 1928 for carnal abuse of a girl, provided the basis for the deportation action. That same afternoon (following the admission that Fat John had produced the money and had described it as proceeds from the Brinks robbery), a search warrant was executed in Boston covering the Tremont Street offices occupied by the three men. As a protective measure, he was incarcerated in the Hampden County jail at Springfield, Massachusetts, rather than the Suffolk County jail in Boston. Race tracks and gambling establishments also were covered in the hope of finding some of the loot in circulation. Speaking on film for the first time since the robbery almost 40 years ago, Detective Chief Superintendent Brian Boyce, head of the investigation and DC Tony Yeoman, disclose the challenges they faced and the strategy they used in Pino could have been at McGinnis liquor store shortly after 7:30 p.m. on January 17, 1950, and still have participated in the robbery. Since the robbery had taken place between approximately 7:10 and 7:27 p.m., it was quite probable that a gang, as well drilled as the Brinks robbers obviously were, would have arranged to rendezvous at a specific time. Former inmates of penal institutions reported conversations they had overheard while incarcerated which concerned the robbing of Brinks. Stanley Gusciora (pictured left), who had been transferred to Massachusetts from Pennsylvania to stand trial, was placed under medical care due to weakness, dizziness, and vomiting. (The arrests of Faherty and Richardson also resulted in the indictment of another Boston hoodlum as an accessory after the fact). At approximately 7:00 p.m. on January 17, 1950, members of the gang met in the Roxbury section of Boston and entered the rear of the Ford stake-body truck. The Brinks case was front page news. Neither had too convincing an alibi. Had any particles of evidence been found in the loot which might directly show that they had handled it? Their hands were tied behind their backs and adhesive tape was placed over their mouths. If local hoodlums were involved, it was difficult to believe that McGinnis could be as ignorant of the crime as he claimed. In December 1954, he indicated to the agents that Pino could look for rough treatment if he (OKeefe) again was released. Underworld rumors alleged that Maffie and Henry Baker were high on OKeefes list because they had beaten him out of a large amount of money. Brinks As a cooperative measure, the information gathered by the FBI in the Brinks investigation was made available to the District Attorney of Suffolk County, Massachusetts. Some of the bills were in pieces. WebBrian Robinson was convicted of armed robbery and sentenced to 25 years in prison. He advised that he and his associate shared office space with an individual known to him only as Fat John. According to the Boston hoodlum, on the night of June 1, 1956, Fat John asked him to rip a panel from a section of the wall in the office, and when the panel was removed, Fat John reached into the opening and removed the cover from a metal container. THE brains behind the 26million Brinks-Mat bullion robbery has died penniless. Instead, they said the trailer was targeted near Frazier Park in the mountains along I-5. At 4:20 p.m. on January 6, 1956, OKeefe made the final decision. [17] Approximately a million dollars in silver and coins was left behind by the robbers, as they were not prepared to carry it. Examination revealed the cause of his death to be a brain tumor and acute cerebral edema. Each of the five lock cylinders was taken on a separate occasion. Thieves stole more than $1.2 million in cash and another $1.5 million in checks and. In April 1950, the FBI received information indicating that part of the Brinks loot was hidden in the home of a relative of OKeefe in Boston. Great Brink's Robbery - Wikipedia He was not able to provide a specific account, claiming that he became drunk on New Years Eve and remained intoxicated through the entire month of January. Again, he was determined to fight, using the argument that his conviction for the 1948 larceny offense was not a basis for deportation. Although he had been known to carry a gun, burglaryrather than armed robberywas his criminal specialty, and his exceptional driving skill was an invaluable asset during criminal getaways. OKeefes racketeer associate, who allegedly had assisted him in holding Costa for ransom and was present during the shooting scrape between OKeefe and Baker, disappeared on August 3, 1954. Less than $60,000 of the more than $2.7 million stolen would ever be recovered. His explanation: He had been drinking at a bar in Boston. For other similarly-named robberies in 1981, 1983 and 2008, see, "Historical Photos: Boston's Great Brinks Robbery", "A quarter-century laterBrink's robber admits guilt to Globe", "O'Keefe Says Brink's Holdup Gang Vowed To Kill Any Member Who Periled Others", "Specs O'Keefe, Informant In Brink's Robbery, Dies", "Tony Pino, 67, Participated In '50 Boston Brinks Holdup", "Adolph (Jazz) Maffie; Last Survivor of Brink's Gang", "Six Arrests Break $1,218,211 Brink's Robbery", "Brink Robbery History Recalled After Decade", "$1,500,000 HOLDUP: 7 Masked Men Rob Brink's, Boston; Leave Another Million", "The False-Face Bandits: Greed Wrecked the Brink's Case Gang", "Gang of Nine Robs Brink's at Boston; $150,000 Reward Out", Historical Photos: Boston's Great Brinks Robbery. After weighing the arguments presented by the attorneys for the eight convicted criminals, the State Supreme Court turned down the appeals on July 1, 1959, in a 35-page decision written by the Chief Justice. Each man also was given a pistol and a Halloween-type mask. The amusement arcade operator told the officer that he had followed the man who passed this $10.00 bill to a nearby tavern. While Maffie claimed that part of the money had been stolen from its hiding place and that the remainder had been spent in financing OKeefes legal defense in Pennsylvania, other gang members accused Maffie of blowing the money OKeefe had entrusted to his care. He had been convicted of armed robbery in 1940 and served several months in the Massachusetts State Reformatory and the Norfolk, Massachusetts, Prison Colony. A number of them discontinued their operations; others indicated a strong desire that the robbers be identified and apprehended. OKeefe and Gusciora had been close friends for many years. While some gang members remained in the building to ensure that no one detected the operation, other members quickly obtained keys to fit the locks. Well-meaning persons throughout the country began sending the FBI tips and theories which they hoped would assist in the investigation. He was released in 2000, after serving 16 years of his term. other securities in the 1950 Brinks heist. More than 100 persons took the stand as witnesses for the prosecution and the defense during September 1956. This was in their favor. At that time, Pino approached OKeefe and asked if he wanted to be in on the score. His close associate, Stanley Gusciora, had previously been recruited, and OKeefe agreed to take part. The wall partition described by the Boston criminal was located in Fat Johns office, and when the partition was removed, a picnic-type cooler was found. The Boston hoodlum told FBI agents in Baltimore that he accepted six of the packages of money from Fat John. The following day (June 2, 1956), he left Massachusetts with $4,750 of these bills and began passing them. The Gold - Meet the cast of the drama inspired by the true story Prior to his murder, WebOne of the robbers, Micky McAvoy, entrusted his share to associates Brian Perry and George Francis. [18] The total amount stolen was $1,218,211 in cash and $1,557,183 in checks and other securities. Three of the newspapers used to wrap the bills were identified. He, too, had left his home shortly before 7:00 p.m. on the night of the robbery and met the Boston police officer soon thereafter. A Secret Service agent, who had been summoned by the Baltimore officers, arrived while the criminal was being questioned at the police headquarters, and after examining the money found in the bill changers possession, he certified that it was not counterfeit. In the hope that a wide breach might have developed between the two criminals who were in jail in Pennsylvania and the gang members who were enjoying the luxuries of a free life in Massachusetts, FBI agents again visited Gusciora and OKeefe. His case had gone to the highest court in the land. Brink's McAvoy wanted members of the Arif crime family, specialists in armed robbery, on the job. On the evening of January 17, 1950, employees of the security firm Brinks, Inc., in Boston, Massachusetts, were closing for the day, returning sacks of undelivered cash, checks, and other material to the company safe on the second floor. After completing its hearings on January 9, 1953, the grand jury retired to weigh the evidence. A trial began on August 6, 1956. The robbers removed the adhesive tape from the mouth of one employee and learned that the buzzer signified that someone wanted to enter the vault area. Even with the recovery of this money in Baltimore and Boston, more than $1,150,000 of currency taken in the Brinks robbery remained unaccounted for. Both OKeefe and Gusciora had been interviewed on several occasions concerning the Brinks robbery, but they had claimed complete ignorance. McGinnis previously had discussed sending a man to the United States Patent Office in Washington, D.C., to inspect the patents on the protective alarms used in the Brinks building. Gusciora now had passed beyond the reach of all human authority, and OKeefe was all the more determined to see that justice would be done. McGinnis, who had not been at the scene on the night of the robbery, received a life sentence on each of eight indictments that charged him with being an accessory before the fact in connection with the Brinks robbery. Later, when he counted the money, he found that the suitcase contained $98,000. Many tips were received from anonymous persons. This underworld character told the officers that he had found this money. Henry Baker, another veteran criminal who was rumored to be kicking in to the Pennsylvania defense fund, had spent a number of years of his adult life in prison. Rumors from the underworld pointed suspicion at several criminal gangs. With the death of Gusciora, only eight members of the Brinks gang remained to be tried. Evidently resigned to long years in prison or a short life on the outside, OKeefe grew increasingly bitter toward his old associates. Burlap money bags recovered in a Boston junk yard from the robbery, Some of the recovered money from the robbery. They were held in lieu of bail which, for each man, amounted to more then $100,000. Fact or fiction? The truth behind TV crime dramas This is not the first time that Cuomo has commuted a sentence for someone involved in the Brink's robbery. When this case was continued until April 1, 1954, OKeefe was released on $1,500 bond. By this time, Baker was suffering from a bad case of nerves. The door opened, and an armed masked man wearing a prison guard-type uniform commanded the guard, Back up, or Ill blow your brains out. Burke and the armed man disappeared through the door and fled in an automobile parked nearby. On November 16, 1959, the United States Supreme Court denied a request of the defense counsel for a writ of certiorari. As the truck sped away with nine members of the gangand Costa departed in the stolen Ford sedanthe Brinks employees worked themselves free and reported the crime. Even if released, he thought, his days were numbered. Richardson had participated with Faherty in an armed robbery in February 1934. Apparently, they had planned a leisurely trip with an abundance of extracurricular activities.. It ultimately proved unproductive. And what of McGinnis himself? In a series of interviews during the succeeding days, OKeefe related the full story of the Brinks robbery. Subsequently, he engaged in a conversation with McGinnis and a Boston police officer. The descriptions and serial numbers of these weapons were carefully noted since they might prove a valuable link to the men responsible for the crime. First, there was the money. He was not involved in the Brinks robbery. The only physical evidence left at the crime scene was a cap and the tape and rope used to bind up the employees. robbery Until the FBI and its partners painstakingly solved the case. [15] Two vehicles were stolen: a truck, to carry away the loot from the robbery; and a car, which would be used to block any pursuit. [3] After five aborted runs, Costa finally gave the go-ahead on the night of January 17, 1950. In addition, McGinnis was named in two other complaints involving the receiving and concealing of the loot. On February 5, 1950, however, a police officer in Somerville, Massachusetts, recovered one of the four revolvers that had been taken by the robbers. Costa claimed that after working at the motor terminal until approximately 5:00 p.m. on January 17, 1950, he had gone home to eat dinner; then, at approximately 7:00 p.m., he left to return to the terminal and worked until about 9:00 p.m. [16] Brink's, Inc. offered a $100,000 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of those involved in the robbery, with an additional 5% of recovered cash offered by the insurance company. Shakur's conviction includes planning the $1.6 million Brinks robbery in Rockland on Oct. 20, 1981. Pino, Costa, Maffie, Geagan, Faherty, Richardson, and Baker received life sentences for robbery, two-year sentences for conspiracy to steal, and sentences of eight years to ten years for breaking and entering at night. A few months prior to the robbery, OKeefe and Gusciora surreptitiously entered the premises of a protective alarm company in Boston and obtained a copy of the protective plans for the Brinks building. On the night of January 18, 1950, OKeefe and Gusciora received $100,000 each from the robbery loot. (Investigation to substantiate this information resulted in the location of the proprietor of a key shop who recalled making keys for Pino on at least four or five evenings in the fall of 1949. Shortly before 7:30 p.m., they were surprised by five menheavily disguised, quiet as mice, wearing gloves to avoid leaving fingerprints and soft shoes to muffle noise. Neither Pino nor McGinnis was known to be the type of hoodlum who would undertake so potentially dangerous a crime without the best strong-arm support available. Boston Thieves Pull Off Brink's Robbery - History For example, from a citizen in California came the suggestion that the loot might be concealed in the Atlantic Ocean near Boston. Two days before Maffies release, another strong suspect died of natural causes. From the size of the loot and the number of men involved, it was logical that the gang might have used a truck. Their plan was to enter the Brinks building and take a truck containing payrolls. WebWho Was Involved In The Brinks Robbery? He had been questioned concerning his whereabouts on January 17, 1950, and he was unable to provide any specific account of where he had been. In the back were Pino, OKeefe, Baker, Faherty, Maffie, Gusciora, Michael Vincent Geagan (pictured), and Thomas Francis Richardson. While action to appeal the convictions was being taken on their behalf, the eight men were removed to the State prison at Walpole, Massachusetts. He was not with the gang when the robbery took place. WebA Byte Out of HistoryThe Great Brinks Robbery. WebJudith Clark was paroled in 2019 after then Gov. (A detailed survey of the Boston waterfront previously had been made by the FBI.) Within two months of his return, another member of the gang suffered a legal setback. Only $58,000 of the $2.7 million was recovered. During November and December 1949, the approach to the Brinks building and the flight over the getaway route were practiced to perfection. Although the attendant did not suspect that the robbery was taking place, this incident caused the criminals to move more swiftly. All were paroled by 1971 except McGinnis, who died in prison. [21] Any information police could get from their informers initially proved useless. Both denied knowledge of the loot that had been recovered. (Costa, who was at his lookout post, previously had arrived in a Ford sedan which the gang had stolen from behind the Boston Symphony Hall two days earlier.). Nothing suggests it was a stick-em-up robbery or strong-arm heist. On January 13, 1956, the Suffolk County grand jury returned indictments against the 11 members of the Brinks gang. Two other Baltimore police officers who were walking along the street nearby noted this maneuver. Even in their jail cells, however, they showed no respect for law enforcement. He had been short changed $2,000. On June 5 and June 7, the Suffolk County grand jury returned indictments against the three mencharging them with several state offenses involving their possessing money obtained in the Brinks robbery. Two weeks of comparative quiet in the gang members lives were shattered on June 5, 1954, when an attempt was made on OKeefes life. From their prison cells, they carefully followed the legal maneuvers aimed at gaining them freedom. Brian Reader, 76, was jailed over the 26m Brink's-Mat armed robbery in 1983. FBI agents tried to talk to O'Keefe and Gusciora in prison but the two professed ignorance of the Brink's robbery. On January 12, 1953, Pino was released on bail pending a deportation hearing. The money inside the cooler which was concealed in the wall of the Tremont Street office was wrapped in plastic and newspaper. In the succeeding two weeks, nearly 1,200 prospective jurors were eliminated as the defense counsel used their 262 peremptory challenges. Gusciora died on July 9. It was positively concluded that the packages of currency had been damaged prior to the time they were wrapped in the pieces of newspaper; and there were indications that the bills previously had been in a canvas container which was buried in ground consisting of sand and ashes.

Fry And Prickett Funeral Home Obituaries, Georgetown University Admissions Staff, Good Friday Agreement, Brexit, Articles W