Virginiatown bank robbery
{{Use Canadian English|date=June 2023}}{{Use mdy dates|date=June 2023}}
{{Infobox civilian attack
| title = Virginiatown Bank Robbery
| location = Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce, Virginiatown, Ontario
| date = December 21, 1972
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| type = Robbery
| weapons = 1 machine gun, 1 pistol
| fatalities = 0
| injuries = 0
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| motive = Robbery
}}{{Short description|1972 Canadian crime}}
The Virginiatown Bank Robbery was a 1972 robbery of the Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce in Virginiatown, Ontario, Canada.
Robbery
At 9:30am,{{cite news |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/127200063/ |title=Bank Bandits Escape in Town's Police Car |publisher=Montreal Gazette |date=December 22, 1972 |page=34 |access-date=June 27, 2023}} on ThursdayBank Robber May Have Been Wounded, The Kingston Whig-Standard, 22 December 1972. December 21, 1972, two{{cite news |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/127200284/ |title=Robbers seize payroll, 3 hostages at Virginiatown |publisher=North Bay Nugget |date=December 21, 1972 |page=1 |access-date=June 27, 2023}} French-speaking armed robbers charged into the Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce in Virginiatown and demanded to be provided with the bank's cash. One staff member was on the phone at the moment the robbers entered, and relayed the situation to the telephone operator who summoned the police. The robbers were armed with a pistol and a machine gun.
The robbery was timed to coincide with the bank holding the money for that Friday's Kerr-Addison Mine salary payments.{{Cite web |date=March 14, 2008 |title=The Virginiatown Bank Robbery – Michael Barnes |url=https://republicofmining.com/2008/03/14/the-virginiatown-bank-robbery-michael-barnes/ |access-date=November 22, 2019 |website=Republic of Mining |language=en-US}} Staff provided the robbers with approximately $60,000 in cash.
Neighbouring gas station owner Dave Mann observed the armed men entering the bank and discharged his .303 calibre rifle towards the bank. Mann's shot scared off the getaway driver, leaving the robbers stranded inside. Police arrived on the scene, but were overpowered by the robbers, who stole their vehicle and used it to abduct branch manager Robert (Bob) Emmell. 2015 local reporting indicates that staff member Helen Gibson was also held hostage.{{Cite web |date=2015-02-21 |title=GIBSON, Helen |url=https://www.baytoday.ca/obituaries/gibson-helen-20199 |access-date=2023-06-02 |website=BayToday.ca |language=en}}
Leaving in the police vehicle, the robbers drove towards Quebec, dropping Emmell near the Mount Cheminis, while changing vehicles and shooting the tires of the abandoned police car. Nobody was injured during the events.$500 Bail Set in Bank Holdup, The Sault Star, 29 Dec 1972, Page 1
Later the same morning, Sûreté du Québec arrested and charged a 25-year-old man from Arntfield before releasing him on a $500 bail.Robbery Suspect Out on Bail, North Bay Nugget, 30 Dec 1972 As of 2008, nobody had been found guilty of the crime.
See also
References
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External links
- [https://www.vtownhistory.org/vtown-lane-downtown.htm c.1950's photo of the location]
Category:Bank robberies in Canada
Category:1972 crimes in Canada
Category:December 1972 in Canada
Category:Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce
Category:Attacks on buildings and structures in 1972
Category:Hijackings in North America