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The Great Brink’s Robbery: A Legendary Crime in the Heart of Boston


On the evening of January 17, 1950, the streets of Boston’s North End were quiet under a winter sky. Inside the Brink’s Inc. security depot, employees were preparing to call it a day. The second floor of the building, housing the company’s vault, was bustling with activity as workers moved sacks of cash and securities to be secured for the night. But as the clock ticked past 7 p.m., their routine came to a screeching halt.


Seven masked men, armed with .38-calibre revolvers and dressed in dark pea coats, chauffeur caps, gloves, and rubber-soled shoes, stormed into the building. Their faces were hidden behind grotesque Halloween masks, one of them wearing a Captain Marvel disguise. They were silent, efficient, and terrifying. The employees, taken completely by surprise, were tied up with rope and adhesive tape, rendered helpless as the robbers executed what would become the largest robbery in U.S. history at the time.

An unidentified newsman wears a rubber mask resembling those worn by the bandits in the infamous Brink's robbery, pointing to a name plate on one of the doors breached by the thieves in Boston on January 17, 1950.
An unidentified newsman wears a rubber mask resembling those worn by the bandits in the infamous Brink's robbery, pointing to a name plate on one of the doors breached by the thieves in Boston on January 17, 1950.

The Great Brink’s Robbery Planning: Three Years in the Making

The Brink’s robbery wasn’t a spur-of-the-moment crime. Its origins date back to 1947, when Anthony Pino, a reputed “case man” among Boston’s criminal circles, began plotting. Pino assembled a group of trusted associates, each chosen for their expertise. The crew included Joseph McGinnis, the supposed mastermind, and Joseph “Specs” O’Keefe, who was well-versed in breaking and entering. Other members, like Stanley Gusciora and Adolph “Jazz” Maffie, provided the muscle, while Vincent Costa served as the lookout.



For over two years, the gang meticulously studied Brink’s operations. They observed the movements of employees, the timing of deliveries, and the opening and closing of the vault. The gang even managed to covertly remove the building’s locks one at a time, duplicating the keys before returning the locks unnoticed. These efforts culminated in five aborted robbery attempts as they fine-tuned their plan. On the night of January 17, 1950, Costa, stationed on a nearby rooftop, signalled with a flashlight when the vault was opened, giving the gang the green light to proceed.


The Heist: A Well-Oiled Machine

At 7:10 p.m., the robbers entered the building. In just 20 minutes, they looted $2.775 million, including $1.218 million in cash and $1.557 million in checks, money orders, and other securities. The gang left behind over a million dollars in silver and coins, deemed too heavy to transport.


Their precision was almost undone when a garage attendant buzzed at the door during the heist. The robbers quickly froze. Two men moved toward the door, prepared to subdue the man if necessary, but he left without further inquiry. The gang completed their task, bundled their loot into canvas bags, and disappeared into the night without leaving a trace, except for the tape, rope, and a single cap left behind in their haste.

Top (left to right) are: Michael Vincent Geagan, 47; Vincent James Costa, 41; Henry Baker, 49. Bottom (left to right) are: Anthony Pino, 48; Joseph F. McGinnis, 52; and Adolph Maffie, 44.


The Fallout: A Trail Gone Cold

The Brinks robbery sent shockwaves across the United States. The FBI, led by Director J. Edgar Hoover, immediately took over the investigation, determined to crack the case that Boston Police Commissioner Thomas F. Sullivan called “the crime of the century.” Brink’s, Inc. offered a $100,000 reward for information, and newspapers nationwide splashed the story on their front pages.



Yet, the gang’s planning paid off. The stolen money, largely in small denominations, was impossible to trace. Informants, underworld figures, and known criminals were interrogated, but the gang’s code of silence held firm. Even when investigators discovered the gang’s getaway truck, dismantled and burned in a dump near Stoughton, Massachusetts, no arrests were made.


Captain Marvel mask allegedly used as a disguise during the robbery.
Captain Marvel mask allegedly used as a disguise during the robbery.

O’Keefe’s Breaking Point

The turning point in the case came in 1950 when Joseph O’Keefe and Stanley Gusciora were arrested in Pennsylvania for an unrelated burglary. Both men were sentenced to prison, but their incarceration began to strain the gang’s unity. O’Keefe, angry that his share of the loot was being withheld and feeling abandoned by his associates, became increasingly volatile.


By 1954, O’Keefe’s resentment reached its peak. After being targeted in two assassination attempts—one where he narrowly avoided being shot in his car and another where he sustained gunshot wounds to his chest and wrist—O’Keefe decided he had had enough. Fearing for his life and disillusioned with his co-conspirators, he began cooperating with the FBI.


The Arrests: A Race Against Time

O’Keefe’s confession in January 1956 came just five days before the statute of limitations was set to expire. His testimony revealed the identities of all 11 men involved in the heist, including Vincent Costa, who had signalled from the rooftop, and McGinnis, who had handled much of the planning and disposal of evidence.


On January 12, 1956, federal agents arrested eight members of the gang. Gusciora, suffering from a brain tumour, died before he could stand trial, while another member, Joseph Banfield, had already passed away. The remaining gang members faced a high-profile trial beginning in August 1956. Despite their claims of innocence, all were convicted and sentenced to life in prison.



Aftermath and Legacy

While the robbers paid the price for their crime, the money they stole largely disappeared. Of the $2.775 million taken, less than $60,000 was ever recovered. Speculation abounded about where the rest of the loot went, but its fate remains a mystery.


The Brink’s robbery became a cultural phenomenon, inspiring books, documentaries, and several films, including The Brink’s Job (1978). The heist’s intricate planning, the gang’s near-perfect execution, and the drama of their eventual downfall solidified its place in American criminal lore.


The Perpetrators: A Summary

Joseph McGinnis: Alleged mastermind. Died in prison in 1966.

Joseph “Specs” O’Keefe: Turned informant. Released in 1960; died in 1976.

Anthony Pino: Disputed leader. Died in 1973.

Stanley Gusciora: The muscle. Died of a brain tumour in 1956.

Adolph “Jazz” Maffie: Released on parole in 1969; died in 1988.

Vincent Costa: Lookout. Arrested again in 1985 for unrelated crimes.

Henry Baker, James Faherty, Michael Geagan, Thomas Richardson: Various roles in the heist, all eventually released on parole.


The Great Brink’s Robbery remains a testament to criminal ingenuity and the fallibility of even the most well-oiled conspiracies. Its legend endures not just for the scale of the crime but for the human drama behind it—a story of betrayal, greed, and the relentless pursuit of justice. Even 75 years later, it captures the imagination as one of the most audacious heists in history.


 

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