About

Robbing a bank is as simple as putting pen to paper. Here are actual demand notes used in successful and unsuccessful unarmed bank robberies - - accompanied by a photo of each robber and appended with details about the robbery itself.

= a successful robbery

= an unsuccessful robbery


Compiled by Ken Habarta

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3 September 11

This is a robbery, do as you are told.

male, 75, M&T Bank, Buffalo NY, 9:30a

** suspect arrested later that afternoon at local casino

Comments
13 August 11

Give me all you’ve got
in large notes

male, 35, Santander Bank, Madrid ES, €6,200, “El Patillas”

** serial robber nabbed after 29 bank robberies spanning 9 years

Comments
11 August 11

Don’t Press Alarm
Pass Note Back
And Money
Or I’ll Shoot

male, 28, Northern Rock Bank, Leeds UK, £1,800

** suspect arrested 20 years later (!) after robber told someone who subsequently reported him; fingerprint on note corroborated the arrest

Tags: gambling
Comments
20 July 11

I want all your cash.
Give me all your $100s
I don’t want any dye packs or bags
you better give it all to me
or I’ll blow up the bank
or blow up a school

male, 54, U.S. Bank, Colusa CA, $4857

** suspect went to casino where he lost all his money; the casino tipped off police

Comments
19 July 11

Bomb at Los Molinos High
which I can detonate by phone
NO PD
PUT UNMARKED 20’s, 50’s and 100’s
in Envelop
NO DYE PACKS, NO MARKED OR TRACED BILLS
OR I DETONATE

male, 54, Umpqua Bank, Los Molinos CA, $8647

** arrested after second robbery attempt 6 days later; having lost most of his loot at a local casino

Comments
17 March 11

I got a gun and I ain’t playing.
I want all the loose bills
100s, 50s, 10s, 5, 1s.
Don’t act stupid,
I will shoot you.

male, 33, Evansville Diamond Valley Credit Union, $6200

** suspect’s wife drove the getaway car; suspects caught in subsequent robbery where dye pack exploded while driving. All the banks robbed were located near highways, and after each robbery the couple would drive to another state 

Comments
25 May 10

You have 15 min to give me all your large.
Please place in the envelope.

female, 49, Eastern Federal Bank, Plainfield CT, 11a

** arrested days later in a casino.

Comments
22 May 10

Casually and quickly,
give me all of the money,
No signals or decoys or it’s over,
Give me 3 minutes before alerting anyone,
Give note back!

male, 40, Chelsea Groton Bank, Norwich RI, $4000

Comments
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