In 1976, Albert Spaggiari spent months studying the vault, testing its security, and mapping out a secret tunnel
On July 16, 1976, during Bastille Day weekend, Spaggiari’s team broke through the vault floor and and looted 317 safe deposit boxes
Spaggiari was arrested months later but he escaped dramatically by jumping out of a courthouse window
In 1976, a French man named Albert Spaggiari carried out one of the boldest and most creative bank robberies in history. Albert was 44 years old and living an ordinary life in Nice, France. Once a paratrooper and later a photographer, he had also spent time in prison for petty crimes. Though he tried to live a clean life, he soon grew bored with his calm middle-class routine. He missed the thrill of his criminal past — and that boredom led him to plan one of the greatest heists the world has ever seen.
Société Générale Bank Robbery
One day, Albert visited Société Générale Bank in Nice, France. Then he entered the safe deposit. While there, he noticed something unusual — the vault had no alarm system. That discovery gave him a wild idea: What if he robbed the bank?
He opened an account and got a locker there. He made frequent visits to the vault, pretending to be an ordinary customer. To double check he placed an alarm clock in his locker, setting it to ring at night. When it went off without triggering any security alerts, he knew the vault truly had no alarm.
During these visits, he secretly took photographs of the vault’s layout and started working on a plan. He quickly realized that breaking in through the main entrance would be far too risky. Instead, he thought of another route — through the city’s sewer system.
Albert began exploring the sewer tunnels near the bank, often spending nights underground, mapping out possible entry points. After several failed attempts to find the right path, he managed to get official blueprints of the sewer system from the city office; the officers may have thought he was a builder.
When he studied the maps, he discovered that a 26-foot tunnel could connect the sewer line directly to the bank’s vault. He knew he couldn’t do it alone, so he reached out to local mob members and trusted friends, forming a crew of about 20 men.
The team worked secretly at night, digging a side tunnel from the sewer toward the bank. They used basic tools, rubber rafts, and even installed electric cables for lighting. It took them two full months to dig through hard rock and concrete.
While working underground, they ate meals on picnic tables, slept on air mattresses, and used ventilation devices to bring in fresh air. Above ground, no one suspected a thing — neighbors likely thought the sounds came from city workers.
The Bank Robbery 1976
Finally, the big night came for the robbers. On July 16, 1976, the gang broke through the vault floor during the Bastille Day weekend, when the bank was closed. They welded the vault door shut from the inside to buy themselves time. For nearly 27 hours, they worked undisturbed — eating, drinking, and even sleeping inside the vault.
They emptied 317 safe-deposit boxes, stealing cash, gold, jewelry, and gemstones. According to The Guardian the loot was $20 million worth at that time. Before leaving, they spray-painted a message on the wall:
After finishing the robbery, they escaped the same way they came — through the sewer tunnel.
On July 19, 1976, bank employees arrived for work as usual. When they tried to open the vault, it wouldn’t budge. Believing the 20-ton door was jammed, they called the manufacturer. After hours of failed attempts, experts decided to drill a small hole to peek inside — and what they saw shocked everyone.
The vault had been welded shut from the inside, and once they broke through the wall, they discovered the vault was completely empty. Hundreds of deposit boxes were broken open, and the spray-painted message was still visible on the wall.
Police arrived and followed the tunnel, which led to the city’s main sewer line. They found 27 gas cylinders, ventilation pipes, and other tools used during the heist. It was quickly declared the largest bank robbery of that time.
Albert Spaggiari arrest and escape
The robbery made headlines across the world. For months, the police found no solid leads. Then, in October 1976, a lucky break came — a gang member was arrested after his girlfriend tipped off the police. Under questioning, he revealed the names of others involved and identified Albert Spaggiari as the mastermind.
Albert was soon arrested, and to everyone’s surprise, he confessed without hesitation. He explained how he had rented a locker to study the vault and tested the alarm by placing an alarm clock inside. When the clock rang without triggering any alerts, he confirmed there was no alarm system — and his plan took shape from there.
During a court hearing in 1977, Albert told the judge he felt hot and walked toward the window to open it and get some air. Suddenly, he jumped out of the window, landed on a parked car below, and hopped onto a waiting motorcycle driven by an accomplice. Within seconds, he was gone.
Despite a massive manhunt, Albert was never caught again. In 1979, the court sentenced him in absentia to life imprisonment, but by then, he was living freely under different identities.
Albert lived the rest of his life like a fugitive celebrity. He travelled between Brazil, Chile, and Argentina, using fake passports and wearing disguises. He even underwent plastic surgery to alter his appearance.
He became so confident that he began sending photos of himself to newspapers with messages like “Hello from Albert”, taunting the police. He even wrote three books about his crime, bragging about the heist.
For 12 years, he remained on the run, living off the stolen money and enjoying a life of luxury. Albert died in 1989 from cancer, still a free man. According to his mother, his body was mysteriously left outside her home. The police never recovered the stolen money, and out of the 20 people involved in the heist, only three were ever caught. [RhOG/ VP]
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