Alan Golder

Alan William Golder (born August 9, 1955), also known as the "Dinnertime Bandit",{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2007/12/12/nyregion/12bandit.html?pagewanted=all|title=A New Chapter in the Tale of the 'Dinnertime Bandit'|date=December 12, 2007|accessdate=August 29, 2012|work=New York Times|author=Corey Kilgannon}} is an American burglar who specialized in stealing jewellery from mansions, while their owners were inside their residences eating dinner.{{cite news|url=https://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2007-12-15-3782137838_x.htm|title=Police: Daring burglar knew trade well|work=USA Today|date=December 15, 2007}}

Golder grew up in Lynbrook, New York, where his criminal career began at an early age, first stealing bicycles, then robbing stores. In 1978, an accomplice of Golder's killed Lawrence Lever during a robbery; Golder was subsequently arrested and served 15 years in prison, after cooperating with police and naming other criminals,{{cite news|author=Paul Harris|url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2007/dec/23/usa.paulharris|title='Dinnertime Bandit' faces life in jail for robbing rich|date=22 December 2007|accessdate=August 29, 2012|work=The Observer}} including members of the Genovese crime family.{{cite news|url=http://articles.philly.com/1998-03-04/news/25743423_1_home-burglaries-murder-charges-haverford|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140819083611/http://articles.philly.com/1998-03-04/news/25743423_1_home-burglaries-murder-charges-haverford|url-status=dead|archive-date=August 19, 2014|work=Philadelphia Daily News|date=March 4, 1998|accessdate=August 29, 2012|title=Legend In Dine Time String Of Break-ins Blamed On 'Dinnertime Burglar'|author=Jim Nolan}} During his time in prison, he sold an alleged autobiographical story to Paramount Pictures for $25,000, claiming to have robbed numerous celebrities; however his attorney claims he fabricated much of it. Released in 1996, Golder resumed burglary almost immediately. In 1998 he fled to Europe after being named in a warrant, where he is suspected to have continued committing burglaries.

Arrested in Antwerp, Belgium on December 14, 2006,{{cite news|url=https://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9E04E1DF1E31F937A15751C1A9609C8B63|title=THE WEEK; Dinnertime Bandit Suspect Arrested in Belgium|date=December 24, 2006|work=New York Times|accessdate=August 29, 2012}} Golder was extradited to the US in 2007 and was charged with 40 counts of burglary. Golder was convicted in Connecticut in August 2008, on 2 counts of burglary, a kidnapping charge and a larceny charge; the kidnapping charge was due to Golder having tied up a woman during a burglary.{{cite news|url=http://www.greenwichtime.com/default/article/Jury-convicts-Dinnertime-Bandit-228614.php|title=Jury convicts 'Dinnertime Bandit'|work=The News-Times|date=August 20, 2008|accessdate=August 29, 2012}} He was subsequently sentenced to 15 years in prison.{{cite news|url=http://www.greenwichtime.com/default/article/Judges-reject-appeal-by-Dinnertime-Bandit-1293456.php|title=Judges reject appeal by 'Dinnertime Bandit'|work=The News-Times|date=August 20, 2008|accessdate=August 29, 2012|author=Debra Friedman}}