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Great Train Robbery - 2-8-2 - 08-07-2009
Infamous fugitive Ronnie Biggs of the Great Train Robbery of 1963 was released from prison today on "compassionate grounds". Biggs' health has been ailing, and he has been freed from prison to face his imminent death from pneumonia.
CNN story
Re: Great Train Robbery - MountainMan - 08-07-2009
Gee...how very compassionate of the authorities.
Re: Great Train Robbery - TrainNut - 08-07-2009
Wasn't that kinda the reason he came back and got caught to begin with? I thought he was living someplace like Cuba and got sick and needed health care so he turned himself in. Free health care in exchange for a prision sentence? I dunno... go figure.
Re: Great Train Robbery - MountainMan - 08-07-2009
Could have gotten excellent health care anywhere with the proceeds of the robbery. Sounds kind of doubtful.
Re: Great Train Robbery - poliss - 08-07-2009
I would have shown Biggs the same amount of compassion that he showed to driver Jack Mills.
Re: Great Train Robbery - 2-8-2 - 08-07-2009
TrainNut Wrote:Wasn't that kinda the reason he came back and got caught to begin with? I thought he was living someplace like Cuba and got sick and needed health care so he turned himself in. Free health care in exchange for a prision sentence? I dunno... go figure.
MountainMan Wrote:Could have gotten excellent health care anywhere with the proceeds of the robbery. Sounds kind of doubtful.
He had been openly living in Brazil. Britain tried to extradite him years and years ago, but Brazil has no extradition treaty with them. And no, he had pretty much blown all his money. Because he was semi-famous, he reduced himself to selling "I'm Ronnie Biggs" t-shirts and stuff at tourist attractions.
Re: Great Train Robbery - MountainMan - 08-07-2009
How on earth does anyone go through 2.6 millions pounds - $50 million USD in today's money - in Brazil? There are third world countries he could have bought for that kind of money.
Re: Great Train Robbery - 2-8-2 - 08-07-2009
Well, in his defense (and I can't believe I'm saying that) you're referring to the overall score of the job. If I remember my history, he was part of a 15-man crew, so his cut would've equaled about 3.5 million in today's US dollars. I don't know about you, but I could blow through that in short order. Add to the fact that he was on the run for several years, and I don't imagine that fake passports and such come cheap.
Re: Great Train Robbery - RobertInOntario - 08-07-2009
This train robbery is a bit of interesting history -- it's quite legendary in Britain.
About a year ago I was trying to research & find a 1960s movie that was more or less based on this event. I did find out about one (can't remember its name now!!) but it was so obscure that it's almost impossible to buy or rent. [When I visited my Uncles in England in 1973, I remember watching a movie on TV that was about this robbery ... but I was only 13 at the time so memory could be playing tricks on me!]
There was also a 1967 British comedy movie that was sort of based on this robbery -- The Great St. Trinian's Train Robbery (it was one of a series of St. Trinian's movies). It was about a group of "troublesome" school girls who helped to stop a robbery attempt. It was actually quite funny. I found a copy of it to rent at a "vintage" movie rental place & my sons & I really enjoyed it.
At any rate, sometime I'd like to learn more about the actual robbery & its history.
Rob
Re: Great Train Robbery - upnick - 08-07-2009
Hi All,
i'm with Poliss on this one .... everbody remembers Biggs ........ but not Jack Mills and his family.
Re: Great Train Robbery - MountainMan - 08-07-2009
2-8-2 Wrote:Well, in his defense (and I can't believe I'm saying that) you're referring to the overall score of the job. If I remember my history, he was part of a 15-man crew, so his cut would've equaled about 3.5 million in today's US dollars. I don't know about you, but I could blow through that in short order. Add to the fact that he was on the run for several years, and I don't imagine that fake passports and such come cheap.
He didn't need a fake passport. Brazil has no extradition and he was living openly.
Re: Great Train Robbery - RobertInOntario - 08-07-2009
I also heard that he was longing to just walk into a British pub and have a pint. Rob
Re: Great Train Robbery - Steamtrains - 08-08-2009
I guess this is where the ol' saying applies...."Be careful what you wish for...You just may get it..."
Re: Great Train Robbery - Russ Bellinis - 08-08-2009
He probably just blew through the 3.5 million because he had no idea how much money he was spending. I suspect it is not unlike most of the lottery winners that you hear about being broke a few years after winning a big lottery check just because they have no experience handling that much money and don't realize how fast they are spending it.
Re: Great Train Robbery - Steamtrains - 08-08-2009
Ain't that the truth.....Did you hear about the rancher a coupl'a months ago who won something like 200 mills, and he was just about to go broke....?? He was smart enough to recognize that it could easily disappear. Seemed like a level-headed guy....