Awsi Dooger
04-10-2003, 05:47 AM
A naughty alarm denied these guys the cash and notoriety their scheme otherwise could have garnered.
I think this incident was from the late '80s. Apparently, the sewers of LA were unguarded and weaved very close to directly underneath some of the most prominent banks in the city. The aspiring thieves displayed incredible cleverness, patience and tolerance by tunneling to the brink of the vaults, estimated at several months work.
But they were interrupted early during the first haul when an alarm blasted and the robbers fled in haste. Authorities found mini all-terrain cycles, used to navigate and haul, at the exit of the sewer, and also massive round drill bits to make the final assault into the vault. Checking the rest of the sewer system uncovered many other completed tunnels, and it was estimated that just one uninterrupted weekend of work would have produced millions in underground loot.
I have never seen an update during Lifetime reruns, nor read about this incident among several books about famous bank capers. A web search revealed nothing.
I seem to remember that authorities were able to trace the purchase of the mini cycles, but apparently that did not lead to capture. Perhaps someone here has more info.
I think this incident was from the late '80s. Apparently, the sewers of LA were unguarded and weaved very close to directly underneath some of the most prominent banks in the city. The aspiring thieves displayed incredible cleverness, patience and tolerance by tunneling to the brink of the vaults, estimated at several months work.
But they were interrupted early during the first haul when an alarm blasted and the robbers fled in haste. Authorities found mini all-terrain cycles, used to navigate and haul, at the exit of the sewer, and also massive round drill bits to make the final assault into the vault. Checking the rest of the sewer system uncovered many other completed tunnels, and it was estimated that just one uninterrupted weekend of work would have produced millions in underground loot.
I have never seen an update during Lifetime reruns, nor read about this incident among several books about famous bank capers. A web search revealed nothing.
I seem to remember that authorities were able to trace the purchase of the mini cycles, but apparently that did not lead to capture. Perhaps someone here has more info.