Dillinger Gang Bank Robbery
N 43° 32.828 W 096° 43.702
14T E 683508 N 4824082
On March 6, 1934, John Dillinger led five other gangsters in a brazen daylight robbery of the Security National Bank.
Waymark Code: WMAC25
Location: South Dakota, United States
Date Posted: 12/22/2010
Views: 22
This is one of the most recent historical markers I have found in Sioux Falls. It was placed here in 2010. The marker reads:
On March 6, 1934, John Dillinger led five other gangsters in a brazen daylight robbery of the Security National Bank. Arriving in a stolen 1934 Packard, Dillinger and three men entered the bank lobby. All wore turned down, wide-brimmed felt hats to conceal their identities and long overcoats to hide their weapons. One gang member shouted, “This is a holdup!” Instantly a bank employee touched a security button and set off a clamorous alarm.
Angered, the bandits ordered about 30 bank employees and customers to raise their hands and to stand facing the wall. Lester Gillis, a.k.a. “Baby Face Nelson,” then spotted motorcycle police Hale Keith running toward the bank in response to the alarm. Gillis wounded Keith by firing a burst from his Thompson submachine gun through a large plate glass north window.
“St. Paul Tommy” Carroll patrolled in front of the YMCA block on the southeast corner of the intersection. For crowd control, he periodically fired a submachine gun to keep hundreds of onlookers at bay. He also held hostage several bystanders and lawmen. To ensure their getaway, the bandits forced five bank employees to stand as human shields on the Packard running boards. They fired at pursuing law enforcement vehicles and scattered roofing nails to disable them. The gang netted $49,500 from the heist.
Marker Name: Dillinger Gang Bank Robbery
Marker Type: City
Marker Text:
Same as above
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Visit Instructions:
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