Famous Bank Robbers: Where Are They Now?
Famous Bank Robbers: Where Are They Now?
Bank robbery has fascinated the public for decades. The daring exploits of criminals like Bonnie and Clyde, John Dillinger, and Willie Sutton have become the stuff of legend. But what happened to these notorious outlaws after their robbery sprees ended? Here we take a look at the later lives of some of history’s most famous bank robbers.
Willie Sutton
Nicknamed “The Actor” for his proclivity for disguises, Willie Sutton robbed over 100 banks from the 1920s to early 1950s, making off with an estimated $2 million. His most famous heist was the robbery of The Manufacturers Trust Company in New York in 1932, where he and his gang escaped with $2.5 million in cash and securities1. Sutton was finally apprehended in 1952 and sentenced to 30 years in prison. However, he was released in 1969 due to poor health after serving just 17 years. Sutton tried to go straight, taking a job at a New York bank and lecturing college students on the dangers of crime. He died of emphysema in 1980 at the age of 79.
John Dillinger
John Dillinger terrorized the Midwest in the early 1930s, robbing dozens of banks and becoming the first criminal to make the FBI’s Most Wanted list. His gang was estimated to have stolen over $300,000. Dillinger was arrested in 1934, but escaped using a wooden gun blackened with shoe polish2. He remained free for four months until the FBI caught up with him outside a Chicago theater. Dillinger was shot dead at the age of 31 after trying to flee arresting agents.
Bonnie and Clyde
Bonnie Parker and Clyde Barrow were a young couple who captured the public’s imagination with their string of bank robberies and murders across the Central United States in the early 1930s. Though their criminal exploits lasted just two years, the duo became famous for their cavalier attitude and constant evasion of the law. In 1934, Bonnie and Clyde were ambushed and killed by Texas and Louisiana state police. Bonnie was 23 and Clyde was 25.
Jesse James
Along with his brother Frank, Jesse James led the James-Younger gang on a 16-year crime spree following the Civil War. Their robberies targeted banks, stagecoaches, and trains across the Midwest. It’s estimated the James brothers got away with tens of thousands of dollars. Jesse James was shot dead in 1882 at age 34 by a new gang member hoping to collect the reward. Frank James surrendered shortly after, having robbed his last bank.
Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid
Butch Cassidy, the Sundance Kid, and their gang known as the Wild Bunch carried out daring robberies of banks and trains at the turn of the 20th century. Their exploits in the American West made the two outlaws famous. After being relentlessly pursued by law enforcement, they fled to South America in 1901. Butch and Sundance were reportedly killed in a shootout with Bolivian police in 1908. Their bodies were never recovered or identified.
George “Baby Face” Nelson
A member of John Dillinger’s gang, George “Baby Face” Nelson was known for his violent temper. He graduated from petty crime to bank robbery after meeting Dillinger in 1930. Nelson is believed to have been involved in dozens of bank heists, killing several police officers in the process. He died in a shootout with FBI agents in 1934 at the age of 25.
Alvin “Creepy” Karpis
Alvin Karpis led the infamous Barker gang on a crime spree during the Great Depression. He was an integral part of the 1933 robbery of a federal bank in Minnesota where the gang made off with $200,000. Karpis eluded capture longer than any other public enemy besides Bonnie and Clyde. He was finally arrested in 1936 and served 33 years in Alcatraz. Karpis was released in 1969, deported to Canada, and died in 1979 at age 72.
John Herbert Dillinger
Dillinger was one of the most notorious criminals of the 1930s Depression era. Though his robbery career lasted just over a year between 1933 and 1934, he and his gang are believed to have stolen about $300,000, equivalent to around $5 million today. Dillinger escaped from jail twice before finally being ambushed and killed by FBI agents outside a Chicago theater at the age of 313.
Jesse James
Along with his brother Frank, Jesse James led the James-Younger gang on a 16-year crime spree following the Civil War. It’s estimated they stole tens of thousands of dollars from banks, stagecoaches, and trains across the Midwest. Jesse James was shot dead in 1882 at age 34 by a new gang member hoping to collect the reward. Frank James surrendered shortly after, ending their outlaw days4.
Al Capone
Though better known as a mob boss, Al Capone was also involved in bank robberies earlier in his criminal career. Most notable was the 1925 robbery of the Wisconsin State Bank in Racine, where Capone and his gang made off with $100,000. Capone was never convicted of bank robbery. He was ultimately brought down on tax evasion charges and died in 1947 after serving 7 years in prison.
Machine Gun Kelly
George “Machine Gun Kelly” Barnes got his nickname for his favorite weapon. He used it liberally during bank robberies in the early 1930s, making off with over $500,000 according to the FBI. Kelly was arrested in 1933 and sentenced to life in prison. He died of a heart attack in 1954 at Leavenworth Federal Penitentiary.
The Newton Boys
Brothers Willis, Doc, Jess, and Joe Newton operated one of the most successful bank robbing gangs in the early 20th century. They are believed to have stolen over $3 million, with their most profitable heist being $100,000 taken from a train in Rondout, Illinois in 1924. The brothers attempted to go straight in the 1930s after Doc and Jess served 5 years in prison. Willis and Joe died in the 1970s, while Doc lived to age 102, dying in 1989.
Where Are They Now?
As we’ve seen, most famous bank robbers met violent ends at young ages, either shot down, killed in escapes, or dying in prison. A rare few like Doc Newton managed to serve their time and live long lives. Though many achieved fame and fortune through daring robberies, their criminal lifestyles ultimately cut their lives short.
Bank robbery doesn’t pay in the long run. But America’s fascination with charismatic criminals remains strong. The legends of historical outlaws continue to endure, even if the robbers themselves do not.
- “Willie Sutton.” FBI, 7 Nov. 2023, www.fbi.gov/history/famous-cases/willie-sutton. Accessed 3 Dec. 2023. ↩
- “John Dillinger.” Encyclopædia Britannica, 7 Nov. 2023, www.britannica.com/biography/John-Dillinger. Accessed 3 Dec. 2023. ↩
- “John Dillinger.” FBI, 7 Nov. 2023, www.fbi.gov/history/famous-cases/john-dillinger. Accessed 3 Dec. 2023. ↩
- “Jesse James’ Bank Robberies.” American Experience, www.pbs.org/wgbh/americanexperience/features/james-robberies/. Accessed 3 Dec. 2023. ↩