In the United States, one of the most high-profile bank robberies of the 20th century was uncovered. True, the case turned out to be discouragingly stupid, even comical. The offender was found only 52 years later. He walked around the bank with amazing ease, escaped the police and changed his name without issue, and then lived a dull and unremarkable life. More boring bank robbery is hard to imagine!
The cunning robber was found only after his death: the cop who was struggling with the riddle got a suspicious obituary. The detective collated the data and solved the case, which tormented his family for more than half a century.
How Theodor Konrad got everyone around his finger.
Theodore Jay Konrad, 20, was a completely unremarkable clerk, an ordinary gray mouse. In the late 60s, he got a job at the National Bank in his hometown of Cleveland and every day whined to colleagues about how bored he was here, and how great it would be to rob this citadel of squalor. Colleagues laughed at his jokes and listened to the retelling of the film "The Thomas Crown Affair" for the tenth time. Konrad was a fan of this criminal drama and loved the moment where the main character easily and gracefully takes out bags of money from the bank.
And so he decided to pull the same trick. On Friday, July 11, 1969, Theodor Konrad entered the vault of his native bank and brought out 215 thousand dollars from there (1.7 million in translation at the current exchange rate). He knew that there would be no money until Monday morning. So he had a whole weekend to escape. And he succeeded in surprisingly simple way. He is said to have enjoyed the 1968 film The Thomas Crown Affair with Steve McQueen, which is about a bank robbery. Konrad reviewed it over a dozen times in preparation for his heist.
According to friends, Conrad behaved like McQueen's hero - he bought a sports car, drank expensive gin and regularly appeared at the local golf club and bowling alley.
Konrad was only 20 years old at the time of the crime. He did exactly what he was going to do: he folded the bills in an ordinary brown paper bag on the evening of Friday, July 11, 1969 and simply took them out of the bank. He was also helped by the fact that his boss was absent from work that day - he was assigned an operation.
Konrad just started touring the country (and under his real name!). Following in his footsteps, the police looked into Washington, Texas and even Hawaii. In the end, after a whimper, the robber settled in the town of Lynnfield near Boston. There he changed his name to Thomas Randle and lived for 52 long years without giving himself away. He started a family and sold cars at a dealership until his retirement. He spent money very sparingly and even his own relatives found out his secret only on his deathbed.
How detective Elliott closed his life's work
Documents in the name of Thomas Randle, under which Theodore Konrad lived.
Theodor Konrad died in May 2021 of lung cancer. He managed to tell his wife and children about the robbery, but they did not report to the police. One of the most wanted criminals was given an obituary. It included the date of birth, the names of his parents, place of birth, college, and a signature from his youth.
This data caught the eye of Peter Elliot, a detective from Ohio. At one time, his father John Elliott investigated this case, and it haunted him for the rest of his life. The 52-year-old robbery has become a family obsession and a common hobby. Father and son periodically returned to it and tried to reveal it privately. To no avail, of course.
Theodor Konrad in old age
The Elliott's tenacity is enviable. John died in 2020, and according to his son, almost the last thing they talked about before they died was the very robbery case. In memory of his stubborn dad, Peter continued his investigation and eventually solved the crime.
Over the past half century, the image of a robber has acquired a semi-legendary status. Several documentaries were shot about him, where they were shown as a cold-blooded genius and a master of avoiding the chase. Peter Elliott, who solved the case, regrets that his parent did not live to see this day, but is still proud of himself: “I hope my father rests in peace, knowing that his investigation has come to an end, and his native US marshals have closed this long-standing case ... In real life, things don't always end like in the movies."
The cunning robber was found only after his death: the cop who was struggling with the riddle got a suspicious obituary. The detective collated the data and solved the case, which tormented his family for more than half a century.
How Theodor Konrad got everyone around his finger.
Theodore Jay Konrad, 20, was a completely unremarkable clerk, an ordinary gray mouse. In the late 60s, he got a job at the National Bank in his hometown of Cleveland and every day whined to colleagues about how bored he was here, and how great it would be to rob this citadel of squalor. Colleagues laughed at his jokes and listened to the retelling of the film "The Thomas Crown Affair" for the tenth time. Konrad was a fan of this criminal drama and loved the moment where the main character easily and gracefully takes out bags of money from the bank.
And so he decided to pull the same trick. On Friday, July 11, 1969, Theodor Konrad entered the vault of his native bank and brought out 215 thousand dollars from there (1.7 million in translation at the current exchange rate). He knew that there would be no money until Monday morning. So he had a whole weekend to escape. And he succeeded in surprisingly simple way. He is said to have enjoyed the 1968 film The Thomas Crown Affair with Steve McQueen, which is about a bank robbery. Konrad reviewed it over a dozen times in preparation for his heist.
According to friends, Conrad behaved like McQueen's hero - he bought a sports car, drank expensive gin and regularly appeared at the local golf club and bowling alley.
Konrad was only 20 years old at the time of the crime. He did exactly what he was going to do: he folded the bills in an ordinary brown paper bag on the evening of Friday, July 11, 1969 and simply took them out of the bank. He was also helped by the fact that his boss was absent from work that day - he was assigned an operation.
Konrad just started touring the country (and under his real name!). Following in his footsteps, the police looked into Washington, Texas and even Hawaii. In the end, after a whimper, the robber settled in the town of Lynnfield near Boston. There he changed his name to Thomas Randle and lived for 52 long years without giving himself away. He started a family and sold cars at a dealership until his retirement. He spent money very sparingly and even his own relatives found out his secret only on his deathbed.
How detective Elliott closed his life's work
Documents in the name of Thomas Randle, under which Theodore Konrad lived.
Theodor Konrad died in May 2021 of lung cancer. He managed to tell his wife and children about the robbery, but they did not report to the police. One of the most wanted criminals was given an obituary. It included the date of birth, the names of his parents, place of birth, college, and a signature from his youth.
This data caught the eye of Peter Elliot, a detective from Ohio. At one time, his father John Elliott investigated this case, and it haunted him for the rest of his life. The 52-year-old robbery has become a family obsession and a common hobby. Father and son periodically returned to it and tried to reveal it privately. To no avail, of course.
Theodor Konrad in old age
The Elliott's tenacity is enviable. John died in 2020, and according to his son, almost the last thing they talked about before they died was the very robbery case. In memory of his stubborn dad, Peter continued his investigation and eventually solved the crime.
Over the past half century, the image of a robber has acquired a semi-legendary status. Several documentaries were shot about him, where they were shown as a cold-blooded genius and a master of avoiding the chase. Peter Elliott, who solved the case, regrets that his parent did not live to see this day, but is still proud of himself: “I hope my father rests in peace, knowing that his investigation has come to an end, and his native US marshals have closed this long-standing case ... In real life, things don't always end like in the movies."
