Have you ever wondered how most legendary thieves were able to pull off their heists? If yes, then this article is for you. It lists down the top 10 famous thieves in history and explains famous thief names. From simple pickpocketing to elaborate crimes, it is an exciting read.
01, Bonnie and Clyde
| Born | Bonnie Elizabeth Parker (October 1, 1910), Clyde Chestnut Barrow (March 24, 1909). |
| Died | Bonnie Elizabeth Parker (May 23, 1934), Clyde Chestnut Barrow (May 23, 1934). |
| Criminal status | Robbery and murder. |
| Nationality | American |
Famous thieves in history Bonnie and Clyde lived fast and didn’t worry about what anyone thought. If they wanted to go to a particular restaurant, they would go there even if it was very crowded. They got their desired food and drank no matter what day or night.
So why waste time sitting in traffic when you can sit in a comfortable chair and watch your favorite show?
Bonnie and Clyde are well-known worldwide for their crimes, especially the famous “Clyde” robbery. Therefore, the Bonnie and Clyde romantic story is a well-known tale that many people know about and enjoy, as it makes for a great movie!
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If you are fascinated with Bonnie and Clyde, you would be very interested in hearing about Bonnie’s New York apartment!
Bonnie and Clyde were known for bank robberies. They used a Ford V8 engine and a .45 ACP pistol. Bonnie and Clyde’s gang carried out multiple bank robberies from 1930 to 1934, including a Texas Treasury Agent’s killing in 1933.
After eight years of criminal activity, the gang was finally cornered by the law in 1934. But, unfortunately, both guns failed to fire at the ambush, and the police killed them both.
02, Jesse James
| Born | September 5, 1847, Kearney, MO |
| Died | April 3, 1882, Saint Joseph, MO |
| Criminal status | American outlaw, bank and train robber, guerrilla, and leader |
| Nationality | American |
The best thief James was born in 1832 in southern Missouri’s “Little Dixie” region, west of the Mississippi River. His parents were slaves, and by 1800 the James family had moved west to the area where James grew up. He was forced to leave school at the age of ten and fell in with a gang of robbers there. He soon became a leader of that gang and several others.
If you’ve got a taste for the finer things, then check out the Jess Woodson James brand. Whether you require a new wardrobe or fancy some unique jewelry, this is the perfect place for you. One thing’s for sure: if you’re seen wearing a piece from Jess Woodson James, you’ll be sure to hold up your end of the bargain!
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In the late 1800s, Jesse James was a well-known criminal. However, most general people do not know that he was also a beautiful and talented singer, and as such, it was one of his trademarks. Jesse’s popularity was at its peak when he participated in the Bates County Fair in Belton, Missouri, on August 1, 1891. He sang a song titled “My Protest,” where he claimed to be a “lone ranger” and not afraid to go against the legal.
Known for his passion for the “Old West,” Jessie James was BORN for the job. James and his family maintain the tradition of providing authentic furnishings and accessories that add to a house’s look and character and respect your budget.
03, John Herbert Dillinger
| Born | June 22, 1903, Indianapolis, IN |
| Died | July 22, 1934, Chicago, IL |
| Criminal status | American gangster |
| Nationality | American |
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According to a biography by William Mackenzie, shortly after the United States Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) was founded in 1908, the first official record of federal law enforcement was the capture of John Henry “J. H.” Dillinger.
He was one of the famous thieves in history and is still considered one of the famous thieves alive when he led a gang known as the “Dillinger Gang.”
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John Herbert Dillinger was a famous theives of the Great Depression. He led a legendary thieves group known as the “Dillinger Gang,” accused of robbing 24 banks and four police stations. In addition, Dillinger was infamous for being a womanizer, who often fled on board the “Lady in Red” after hold-ups to leave his pregnant partner behind.
Many stories have circulated about his death, including that he was killed by FBI agents and buried in an unmarked grave at Quantico, Virginia,
04, Doris Payne
| Born | October 10, 1930 (age 91 years), Slab Fork, WV |
| Died | / |
| Criminal status | Jewel thief. |
| Nationality | American |
If there is one name that everyone knows, it’s Doris Payne. However, a lifetime of crime and manipulation has not stopped her from continuing to steal jewelry and other treasures. As Doris Payne was born into an infamous family in upstate New York during the Great Depression, the idea of swiping to support oneself and family was a genuine possibility for this young woman. In such a situation, the temptation would be hard to resist.
Female jewelry thief Doris Marie Payne was born in Frayser, Tennessee, on December 12, 1966. Her mother, Anna Payne, was the youngest of twelve children born to the late Mother Payne. As a child, Doris Marie Payne was said to have been physically and verbally abused by her mother.
Most of her siblings were also verbally and physically abused by their mother. When she was young, Doris Marie Payne started stealing things from stores like Woolworths, K-Mart.
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Famous thieves in history girl Doris Payne, one of the most notorious jewel thieves in American history, has spent the last forty-seven years of her life in prison. The brilliant and manipulative woman was a textbook case study for FBI psychologists when she was arrested.
The best thief Doris Payne has managed to get herself into and out of jail several times, serving a total sentence of seventy-three years.
05, Alan Golder
| Born | August 9, 1955 |
| Died | / |
| Criminal status | American burglar |
| Nationality | American |
From 1962 to 1971, he was convicted of eighty-five burglaries in fifteen states. In one instance, he delayed the police by playing music from the 1960s on a portable record player to keep the authorities at bay. His biggest haul was $65,000 in jewelry from home in suburban New Jersey.
Golder named his operation “Dinnertime Bandit” because of his belief that it would be less risky to hit houses when people were home.
A bandit in America’s deep south, Alan Golder is a highly skilled burglar with a particular talent for the art of stealing, who specialized in breaking into the houses of high-profile executives while they were eating dinner. Known as the “Dinnertime Bandit,” he is considered an American hero who stole over $14 million worth of jewelry.
Legendary thieves Alan Golder, also known as the “Dinnertime Bandit,” is a famous thief character specializing in stealing jewelry from mansions while their owners were inside their residences eating dinner. Golder was born in New York City and grew up in Queens, New York.
His father was a tailor, and his mother worked at a department store. He first began to make a name for himself as a teenage burglar, breaking into houses to steal the jewelry that belonged to him.
Famous thieves in history are one of the most prolific burglars ever to grace our shores. He’s the epitome of what probably could’ve been a great life if he wasn’t such a greedy bastard. But, unfortunately, his crimes are still unknown and baffling today.
So I’ll leave it up to you to decide whether or not he’s genuinely clever or just plain dumb. So my friends, let’s all have a good laugh at this narcissist’s expense!
06, Butch Cassidy
| Born | April 13, 1866, Beaver, UT |
| Died | November 7, 1908, San Vicente Canton, Bolivia |
| Criminal status | American train and bank robber |
| Nationality | American |
He was one of the most successful and charismatic bandit leaders of the Old West. His career as a bank robber spanned from 1892 to 1899. Butch Cassidy wrote the first known autobiography in 1953, and a famous biography was written in 1959 by Harry Chambers, with many parts based on an interview with Cassidy conducted by the-U.S.
Marshal Lee Deverall. More than 1,000 banks have been robbed during his career, and he is often regarded as one of the famous thieves.
The Wild Bunch was an infamous gang of criminal outlaws who became notorious for their train and bank robberies in the United States and South America. They were led by the charismatic outlaw Butch Cassidy, known as “The Sundance Kid.”
After his release from prison, he continued to rob banks and trains, delivered to the Wild Bunch by the hundreds. He was said to be wearing a long black turban, called a “turban,” which was the trademark of his gang members, but this is false.
Butch Cassidy and The Wild Bunch were a group of notorious outlaws who robbed and terrorized the American west from 1890 to 1902. From their days as young cowboys in the Wild West to their exploits in South America and the Bolivian mountains, these men became known as outlaws, who operated outside the law.
07, Colton Harris Moore
| Born | March 22, 1991, Mount Vernon, WA |
| Died | / |
| Criminal status | American theft |
| Nationality | American |
The best thief Colton Harris Moore, a 33-year-old man born in Colorado, was wanted by authorities after he allegedly fled the scene of an armed robbery. In the summer of 2005, aboard a flight from Hawaii to Los Angeles, he was stopped by police after three others allegedly robbed a mortgage broker in his hometown. He reportedly took six guns from his victim and fled the scene in a red Ferrari California.
Famous thieves in history Colton Harris Moore has been using the same unique name since 1980 when he legally changed his name to “Colton Harris Moore” to escape an alcoholic father who lost custody of him when he was a child.
He went by the name “C. Harris” at the time, but this was later changed during his career in art and acting. His current term refers to his hometown of Colton, California, and a street located in that town.
Legendary thieves Colton Harris Moore, a Missouri man who had been on the lam for more than three years, was arrested Thursday by the U.S. Marshals Service. Moore was wanted in connection with the thefts of several small aircraft (including one plane that he reportedly drove off a plane) and multiple cars, totaling more than $500,000.
08, Lester Joseph Gillis
| Born | December 6, 1908, Chicago, IL |
| Died | November 27, 1934, Wilmette, IL |
| Criminal status | American bank robber |
| Nationality | American |
After John Dillinger’s escape in 1934, Nelson became one of the Bureau of Investigation’s most wanted fugitives. The FBI captured him in 1935, and Dillinger was sentenced to two concurrent terms of 25 years to life. Nelson served his time and was paroled in 1944.
Famous thieves in history Lester Joseph Gillis was born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, on February 17, 1903. He was the son of a Catholic mother and a Protestant minister’s father. At 12, Lester began dating Myrtle Gillis, his mother’s sister.
Lester Joseph Gillis, also known as George Nelson, was an American bank robber who became a criminal partner of John Dillinger when he helped Dillinger escape from prison. The duo’s crimes were well-planned and meticulously executed in a way that not only attracted the media’s attention but their own as well. Upon his arrest, Lester Joseph Gillis was described as “a smooth-talking man with a slick tongue” by police.
Legendary thieves Lester Joseph Gillis, also known as George Nelson and as Baby Face Nelson, was an American best thief who became a criminal partner of John Dillinger when he helped Dillinger escape from prison. He is well-known for being a minor partner in the St. Paul bank robberies of 1933.
09, Carl Gugasian
| Born | October 12, 1947, Broomall, PA |
| Died | / |
| Criminal status | American bank robber |
| Nationality | American |
The Best thief Carl Gugasian was one of America’s most notorious bank robbers, serving a 17-year jail sentence for armed robberies that netted more than $10 million. He is also known as “The Friday Night Bank Robber” and was almost caught before his final bank robbery in 1996. His signature was a fake gold necklace and a note asking the teller to “drop the drawers, please.”
The story of Carl Gugasian is quite remarkable. He was born in 1960 in the state of Massachusetts. He was raised by a single mother and was a lousy student who was in and out of trouble with the law. Finally, in 1982, at the age of 19, he was sentenced to a year and a half for several law violations, from drunk driving to assault and battery. He also worked in a warehouse for $1 an hour during this time.
Legendary thieves Carl Gugasian was not only notorious for being a bank robber, but he was also infamous for the way he pulled it off. His bank robberies were claimed to be some of the most daring and well-planned thefts in history. Maybe this is why many people think his heist was the worst ever conceived.
A merchant’s only hope is to be able to run away from their business and move to another one. Carl Gugasian is no exception, as he robbed a bank located in Florida. This was not the first time he had been arrested, as he had been arrested before for shoplifting.
He even tried to rob a gas station by robbing it and threatening the employees with a gun. When he was caught, he was sentenced to 17 years in prison.
10, Albert Spaggiari
| Born | December 14, 1932, Laragne-Montéglin, France |
| Died | June 8, 1989, Belluno, Italy |
| Criminal status | French criminal chiefly |
| Nationality | French |
Legendary thieves Albert, a small-time thief who often saw his life as one long prison sentence, was the mastermind behind the series of crimes that culminated in the Société Générale raid. However, he wouldn’t let a little thing like imprisonment slow him down. According to Bert, his life had no value, so he canceled it.
However, best thief Bert’s rise to criminal fame came well before that fateful day in the French sunshine. As a criminal by nature, he had spent his life committing petty theft to armed robbery and was once imprisoned for joyriding with an explosive device.
He was eventually released on parole after only working as a taxi driver in 1972. However, his parole was ultimately revoked, and he was back behind bars for armed robbery, this time for a prison escape.
Working as a common criminal should be an exciting thing. Get in and out, take the money and run. The police don’t have time to chase you down, and you can get away from them once you’ve made your escape. But this game has a significant flaw in it: one day, you’ll end up getting caught. This is what happened to our hero Bert.
On July 11, 1976, a group of armed robbers headed by Albert Spaggiari attempted to rob Société Générale at 2 am. Spaggiari and his accomplices were tracked down in the south of France, and Spaggiari was arrested on the morning of July 20, 1976. After an appeal, he was sentenced to ten years in prison but was acquitted in 1978.
Conclusions
The list of famous thieves in history is one of the most exciting topics you can discuss with your friends. These people have committed crimes that are not even close to being ordinary, so it’s interesting to see how they did what they did.
We have prepared a list of 10 legendary thieves and listed them here for you. So have fun reading about these top 10 names of famous thieves!
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