Bank Robbery is no easy feat. Many have seen the dollars that move in and out of banks every single day and dreamt of ways to procure the money moving within bank walls. However, few have gone through with a bank heist, and even fewer have pulled off a successful bank robbery. Anthony Curcio is responsible not only for a successful bank robbery but for one of the most well-planned bank heists in recent history. His plans included craigslist, a jet ski, inner tubes, and so much more. Let’s take a look at the tale of the craigslist bank robbery.
Anthony Curcio
From a young age, Anthony Curcio had been an athlete. He managed to be a star player in multiple sports in high school. It was football, however, that Anthony was most passionate about. Unfortunately, he suffered an injury early in his college career. That injury ended his football career and landed him a nasty drug habit. While rehabbing from his injury, Curcio was prescribed Vicodin and spent the next few years of his life spiraling into a deep addiction.
The Birth of A Bank Robber
As is the case with many drug abusers, Anthony Curcio burned through much of his cash. When he was young, this was hardly an issue. However, in the early 2000’s Curcio now had a wife and kids to consider. Anthony devised a plan to rob the Brink security armored transport vehicle, not wanting to get caught for his abuse but still wanting to continue using. At the same time, it unloaded at a local Bank of America branch.
The Craigslist Bank Robbery
Curcio devised an ingenious plan that was followed by a near-perfect execution. The heist began with Anthony arriving on-site dressed as a construction worker waiting for his boss to arrive at the job site. Before the event, though, the newly minted bank robber hired twenty laborers on Craigslist and gave them a strict dress code with pictures of the clothing required. Anthony inconspicuously sank into the crowd and waited for the Brink security truck to arrive.
Upon the target’s arrival, Curcio broke rank from the crowd, pepper-sprayed the Brink employee, and stole the duffle bag of cash. Then, he ran behind the bank, where he tore away his outfit and ran through the brush to a nearby creek. He hopped into an inner tube that he had stashed there and, using a pulley system he built into the waterway, pulled himself downstream. Eventually, he dismounted from the inner tube on the other end of the creek and found a nearby office park where he called his wife, who had no idea what he was up to, and asked for her to pick him up. Meanwhile, the police arrive at the crime scene to find 20 suspects who match the description of their criminal.
The Crack in the Plan
There was one small detail that Anthony Curcio overlooked. Behind the bank, there was a small homeless encampment. One of the homeless men who lived at the encampment witnessed Curcio ripping off his outfit and jumping into the inner tube with a duffle bag during the getaway. Unfortunately, Anthony underestimated this man to his detriment. The homeless individual gathered the garments and took them to the police, who could trace the DNA back to Curcio and charge him with Bank Robbery.
Conclusion
Anthony Curcio served 72 months in prison for his crime. After his release, he repaired his relationship with his wife and kids. Surprisingly, he has found a new career as a speaker. Today Curcio speaks for corporate and school events, including events like TedX. He covers topics like drug abuse, decision-making, and the value of time. He recounts how much time he lost with his kids thanks to his mistakes and cautions everyone he meets not to make the same mistakes. Even though he was caught, Curcio’s heist lives in infamy as one of the most well-planned bank heists in recent history.
Things I Learned Last Night is an educational comedy podcast where best friends Jaron Myers and Tim Stone talk about random topics and have fun all along the way. If you like learning, and laughing a whole lot while you do, then you’ll love TILLN. Watch or listen to this episode right now!
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