The Great Brinks robbery happened on January 17, 1950.
A collaboration of 11 thieves robbed the Brinks Armored Car depot in Boston, Massachusetts stealing more than 2 million dollars in cash.
Tony Pino and Big Joe McGinnis are said to have been the masterminds behind getting the elaborate team together for the 'great' heist. The team staked out the depot for a year and a half to learn when the money was there, they also managed to steal the alarm systems map and return it before it was noticed missing.
Before the big day the team had several rehearsals wearing Halloween masks and blue jackets.
The gang suprised the guards in the counting room, tied up the employees and made off with $2.7 million shoved into 14 canvas bags which weighed more than half a ton. The team managed to do it all leaving no clues and in less than half a hour.
The team members met and split the profits and went about their ways. Except for one member Specs O'Keefe who had left his profits with another team member due to having to serve a jail sentance for a previous crime. O'Keefe began to worry that he would end up cheated out of his money and threatened to begin to talk. The others worried and hired a hit man to kill him but he was only wounded. O'Keefe made a bargain with police and had testified against the others. Eight men had been arrested, one was convicted - but very little of the money was recovered.