London: Nearly 50 years ago, a massive bank robbery took place in Mayfair. Robbers stole £8 million from the Bank of America, making it one of the biggest heists in history. The mastermind behind this crime is still at large.
Stuart Buckley, an electrician, worked at the bank in the early 1970s. He had just come out of prison for handling stolen goods. The bank did not check his background before hiring him. Buckley gained trust and received keys to the building.
Buckley met with his old friend, Frank Maple, who was a known criminal. Together, they formed a gang of eight men to plan the robbery. They needed to find out the vault’s passcode to succeed. Buckley hid in the ceiling above the vault and listened until he learned the code.
On April 24, 1975, the gang entered the bank dressed in suits. They quickly opened the vault and filled bags with cash and valuables. In just minutes, they escaped with £8 million worth of goods.
The robbery made headlines, prompting Scotland Yard to investigate. Detectives had already been watching Maple and his crew due to a tip-off. Buckley, after being arrested, turned informant and revealed everything. The gang received nearly 100 years in prison, while Buckley got seven years for cooperating.
Frank Maple fled to Morocco after the heist and was never caught. Police only recovered £500,000 of the stolen money. Today, experts say large bank robberies are rare. With the rise of electronic banking, crimes have shifted to online fraud, which lacks the excitement of traditional heists.
Many people still remember the dramatic heists of the past. The Great Train Robbery in 1963 and the Baker Street robbery in 1971 are among the most famous. These stories continue to capture public interest, showing how thrilling and bold these crimes were.
Image Credit: metro.co.uk