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The Pierre is one
of New York's
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most exclusive
and expensive hotels.
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00:00:06,876 --> 00:00:09,210
You had all
the richest people
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all staying
under a single roof.
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00:00:11,543 --> 00:00:14,376
It was like
the perfect target.
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00:00:14,501 --> 00:00:16,751
Its well-heeled guests
include the biggest names
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00:00:16,918 --> 00:00:19,210
in finance, fashion, and film.
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00:00:19,376 --> 00:00:22,168
One would see people
like Aristotle Onassis there,
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J. Paul Getty,
Elizabeth Taylor.
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00:00:25,335 --> 00:00:26,460
It was that kind of place.
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00:00:26,585 --> 00:00:29,001
But for five
ambitious crooks,
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00:00:29,001 --> 00:00:32,043
The Pierre means
something more,
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00:00:32,043 --> 00:00:34,460
a chance to get rich quick
if they can pull off
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00:00:34,585 --> 00:00:36,876
one of history's
most daring heists.
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00:00:37,001 --> 00:00:39,335
Bobby hit about 25 hotels,
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00:00:39,460 --> 00:00:41,918
but he wants
that one big score.
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There's gonna be more money,
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00:00:43,501 --> 00:00:45,043
but there's also gonna be
more security,
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00:00:45,168 --> 00:00:46,626
and that brings more problems.
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00:00:46,751 --> 00:00:48,835
You could plan a robbery
for years,
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00:00:48,960 --> 00:00:50,876
and things
will still go wrong.
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00:00:55,501 --> 00:00:57,918
The masterminds
behind every great heist
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see what most people don't.
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00:01:01,668 --> 00:01:04,793
Risking everything to pull off
the score of a lifetime,
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00:01:04,918 --> 00:01:07,543
it takes a bold plan,
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the right team,
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00:01:09,835 --> 00:01:12,501
and the skill to stay
one step ahead of the law.
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It's 1972, and Manhattan
is a tale of two cities.
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Downtown, crime and poverty.
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Uptown, the city's wealthiest
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hobnob with celebrities
and luxury hotels,
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flaunting their wealth.
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The line between
the haves and the have nots
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could not be clearer,
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00:02:02,710 --> 00:02:05,543
and that leads to an uptick
in violent crime.
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00:02:09,210 --> 00:02:10,585
There were shootings
in the streets.
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There was gangs.
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00:02:11,751 --> 00:02:13,376
And bad guys thought
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they can get away with murder
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because they actually did.
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00:02:17,710 --> 00:02:20,376
It really was kind of
a dark time for the city,
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00:02:20,376 --> 00:02:21,585
but then on the other hand,
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you kind of had
all these celebrities
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00:02:23,710 --> 00:02:24,918
flocking to New York.
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One of their favorite spots
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is an infamous hotel,
The Pierre.
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At The Pierre Hotel itself,
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you had Karl Lagerfeld, Valentino.
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They were doing
their fashion shows there.
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00:02:35,668 --> 00:02:38,085
It was even
where Joe Frazier was staying
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when Muhammad Ali called him
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and asked him for a rematch.
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It was that kind of place.
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00:02:42,668 --> 00:02:45,085
To rent a apartment there,
for instance,
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it cost the equivalent
of about $34,000 a month.
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00:02:48,918 --> 00:02:51,210
So you can imagine the luxury.
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On any given night,
this roster of riches
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00:02:53,751 --> 00:02:57,835
makes a tempting target
for ambitious thieves,
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00:02:57,960 --> 00:03:00,585
which is why The Pierre has
more security
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00:03:00,710 --> 00:03:02,918
than almost any other hotel
in New York,
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starting with its vault.
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Back in the 1970s,
when you checked into a hotel
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00:03:08,335 --> 00:03:10,418
and you had jewels,
you had cash,
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what you would typically do
was put it
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in the safe deposit boxes
owned by the hotel.
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The vault
at The Pierre Hotel
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is made to look ominous.
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They don't want it to look
welcoming to thieves.
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It's huge. It's steel.
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It's not Fort Knox,
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but you're not gonna
get through it
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with a crowbar either.
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00:03:27,251 --> 00:03:30,210
12-gauge steel,
about 300 pounds.
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00:03:30,335 --> 00:03:32,210
The second that you open
the vault door,
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it triggers the alarm,
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and it's incumbent then
upon the employee
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to turn off the alarm
within 10 seconds.
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Otherwise, the police
are automatically called.
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00:03:40,418 --> 00:03:43,001
Inside the vault,
there's 208 boxes,
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and inside those boxes,
some very expensive jewelry
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from some high-dollar people.
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A safe deposit box has
a design
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where there's two keys.
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You have one key
for the manager
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and one key for the owner
of the box,
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00:03:57,460 --> 00:04:00,085
so it takes two keys
to get into that box.
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00:04:00,251 --> 00:04:02,126
Unless you have
the proper tools,
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00:04:02,251 --> 00:04:03,835
you have to use a hammer
and a crowbar.
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00:04:03,835 --> 00:04:05,710
And trust me,
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00:04:05,835 --> 00:04:08,126
it's real hard to get
into a security box.
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00:04:08,251 --> 00:04:10,126
You can't get anywhere
near this fault
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00:04:10,251 --> 00:04:12,543
without encountering
a security guard.
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00:04:12,668 --> 00:04:14,876
Unlike many hotels
of that era,
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00:04:15,001 --> 00:04:18,585
The Pierre Hotel has guards
patrolling 24 hours a day.
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Getting past the guards
and into the vault
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00:04:20,876 --> 00:04:22,501
is only half the challenge.
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With hundreds of guests
and dozens of staff
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roaming The Pierre
at all hours,
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00:04:27,626 --> 00:04:30,251
the likelihood of
getting caught is enormous.
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00:04:30,418 --> 00:04:33,376
Even so, one experienced thief
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00:04:33,501 --> 00:04:37,376
is dreaming up a plan to net
the score of a lifetime.
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00:04:37,376 --> 00:04:39,751
He just has to get
out of jail.
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Bobby Comfort is
a lifelong criminal.
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He is fearless.
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00:04:47,418 --> 00:04:50,085
He starts stealing at the age
of seven years old.
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By 13, he's in jail.
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00:04:51,876 --> 00:04:53,751
But Bobby is
incredibly intelligent.
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He has a history
of getting plea deals
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knocked down to lesser time.
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00:04:59,376 --> 00:05:03,043
In 1967,
Bobby is in Attica prison,
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00:05:03,043 --> 00:05:06,501
and he gets a number
of newspapers.
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00:05:06,501 --> 00:05:09,835
But he is interested in
some of the gossip columns
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00:05:09,835 --> 00:05:12,501
in the "New York Daily News,"
particularly.
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When Bobby is in prison,
he was doing
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00:05:14,418 --> 00:05:15,918
what a lot of guys do.
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They research their next job.
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He's looking to see what kind
of jewelry they wear.
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He's looking to see
where they're staying.
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That's very important.
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They'll say, oh,
they're at The Pierre Hotel
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or they're at
the Ritz Carlton.
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00:05:26,835 --> 00:05:29,501
You're gonna always look
for an opportunity.
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00:05:29,501 --> 00:05:31,876
Comfort spends two years
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00:05:32,001 --> 00:05:34,918
planning the perfect heist
from his prison cell.
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He knows robbing The Pierre
is too big a job to do solo.
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00:05:38,876 --> 00:05:41,543
When he's released
in April 1969,
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00:05:41,543 --> 00:05:43,460
he starts looking
for a partner.
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00:05:43,585 --> 00:05:46,460
He gets introduced
to a fellow professional thief
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00:05:46,585 --> 00:05:48,543
named Sammy Nalo
through a mutual friend.
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00:05:51,835 --> 00:05:53,710
Sammy Nalo is basically known
as the tool man.
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He uses his hammers.
He uses chisels.
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He can break into anything.
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00:05:57,335 --> 00:06:00,460
Sammy needed
Bobby's people skills,
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00:06:00,585 --> 00:06:04,376
and Bobby needed
Sammy's mechanical skills.
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00:06:04,501 --> 00:06:06,293
These two guys are a match
made in heaven.
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00:06:06,418 --> 00:06:09,835
Bobby convinces Sammy
that they should team up
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00:06:09,960 --> 00:06:13,001
and go after
a lucrative untapped target,
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00:06:13,126 --> 00:06:15,043
hotel safe deposit boxes.
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00:06:15,043 --> 00:06:17,335
What many people didn't know
is that there's more money
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00:06:17,335 --> 00:06:20,293
in The Pierre Hotel
"security boxes"
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00:06:20,418 --> 00:06:21,876
than at many banks
in the country.
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Before hitting The Pierre,
Comfort wants practice.
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So between 1969 and 1970,
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00:06:29,168 --> 00:06:31,585
he and Sammy launch
a string of robberies
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00:06:31,751 --> 00:06:34,460
across Manhattan's
mid-sized hotels.
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00:06:34,585 --> 00:06:36,835
In the 1970s,
hotels were the perfect place
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for Bobby and Sammy to hit
for burglaries
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because they didn't have
security cameras.
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00:06:41,876 --> 00:06:44,126
They had security guards,
but not too many,
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because
they didn't wanna appear
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like they were a fortress.
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And the staff themselves
were trained
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to really welcome guests,
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not suspect them
of being thieves,
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so it was kind of
the ideal target.
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Sammy and Bobby follow
the same approach each time.
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They arrive
in the middle of the night.
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They have suitcases.
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They act as guests.
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They wear fake facial hair.
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They wear fake noses.
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00:07:06,376 --> 00:07:08,501
Sammy typically wears
a wig as well,
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because he's bald.
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Then at gunpoint,
they force the manager
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or a night clerk
to open the vault.
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When the robbery
is taking place,
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Sammy's just in there with
his hammer and his chisels,
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and he's busting open
absolutely everything
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and grabbing what's in it.
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00:07:24,543 --> 00:07:28,335
In the first year,
Bobby hit about 25 hotels.
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00:07:28,460 --> 00:07:30,543
But he wants
that one big score.
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00:07:30,668 --> 00:07:33,876
But first,
Bobby wants more practice.
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He ups the ante
by planning a heist
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at a bigger hotel,
the Regency.
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00:07:38,501 --> 00:07:41,043
Up until this point,
Bobby and Sammy have made
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00:07:41,168 --> 00:07:43,210
about $100,000.
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00:07:43,376 --> 00:07:45,376
The largest hotels
that they've robbed
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00:07:45,543 --> 00:07:47,835
are the Sherry Netherland,
with 100 rooms,
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00:07:47,835 --> 00:07:50,710
and the Carlyle,
with 190 rooms.
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00:07:50,710 --> 00:07:53,543
With The Pierre Hotel
at 714 rooms,
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00:07:53,543 --> 00:07:55,418
that's over twice the size
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of any hotel
they've ever robbed.
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The Regency Hotel
is 390 rooms,
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perfect practice run.
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00:08:01,501 --> 00:08:04,376
Although the Regency has
no security guards,
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00:08:04,543 --> 00:08:06,543
it's big enough to need
a third man.
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00:08:06,543 --> 00:08:10,585
So Comfort and Nalo decide
to hire another gun,
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00:08:10,751 --> 00:08:13,418
a man nicknamed Doc,
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00:08:13,585 --> 00:08:15,835
and dedicate more time
to surveillance.
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Three days before robbing
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the Regency Hotel,
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Bobby checked in,
and he really did that
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to look around,
see who's coming and going.
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Is it a place where
there's more or less staff?
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00:08:28,001 --> 00:08:30,710
Casing a robbery is the most
important thing you can do.
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00:08:30,876 --> 00:08:34,001
You have to know where
everybody is at all times.
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00:08:34,126 --> 00:08:37,418
If you don't, you could have
an unexpected surprise.
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Confident he knows
everything he needs to
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00:08:40,168 --> 00:08:43,501
from when the trash goes out
to how the windows get washed,
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00:08:43,626 --> 00:08:45,210
Comfort is ready to strike.
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00:08:46,876 --> 00:08:49,876
Their biggest
practice heist yet is on.
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00:08:50,043 --> 00:08:53,293
In the middle of the night
on August 5, 1970,
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00:08:53,418 --> 00:08:57,293
Sammy, Bobby, and one other man
arrive with their suitcases,
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00:08:57,418 --> 00:08:59,835
and they assume
their positions.
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00:09:03,085 --> 00:09:04,710
These guys go
into the Regency,
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00:09:04,835 --> 00:09:06,126
and what they do
to the employees
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00:09:06,251 --> 00:09:08,251
is they tape their eyes
and their mouths shut.
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00:09:08,418 --> 00:09:09,960
Why?
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00:09:10,085 --> 00:09:11,876
Because they don't want them
identifying them.
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00:09:12,001 --> 00:09:14,710
As Bobby and Sammy take down
the Regency Hotel,
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00:09:14,835 --> 00:09:17,001
they're practicing the tactics
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00:09:17,001 --> 00:09:19,168
that they're gonna employ
at The Pierre.
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00:09:19,293 --> 00:09:22,543
One man is holding
the hostages at gunpoint.
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00:09:22,543 --> 00:09:24,876
Sammy goes directly
to the safe deposit boxes,
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00:09:25,001 --> 00:09:27,085
and Bobby mans the front desk.
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00:09:27,251 --> 00:09:30,710
Sammy is banging away
at the safe deposit boxes,
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00:09:30,835 --> 00:09:32,585
one after the other
after the other
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00:09:32,710 --> 00:09:34,960
with a crowbar
and some other tools.
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00:09:36,543 --> 00:09:38,543
So the phone rings.
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00:09:38,668 --> 00:09:39,710
Bobby answers.
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00:09:39,835 --> 00:09:41,210
It's a woman in the hotel.
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00:09:41,335 --> 00:09:42,710
She's calling about the racket,
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00:09:42,835 --> 00:09:45,418
and if they don't stop it,
she's gonna call the cops.
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00:09:45,543 --> 00:09:47,043
So Bobby's freaking out
a little bit.
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00:09:47,043 --> 00:09:48,043
He goes to Sammy.
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00:09:48,168 --> 00:09:49,835
He's like, "Hey, enough.
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00:09:49,835 --> 00:09:51,710
We gotta get what we got
and get out of here."
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00:09:51,835 --> 00:09:53,918
Sammy's like, "No, no, no.
I'm not leaving."
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00:09:54,085 --> 00:09:56,543
They've been at it
for nearly two hours,
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00:09:56,668 --> 00:09:59,710
but Sammy has only opened
17 deposit boxes
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00:09:59,710 --> 00:10:01,668
for a total of six grand,
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00:10:01,793 --> 00:10:04,001
not exactly the big score
they hoped for.
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00:10:04,001 --> 00:10:07,376
Bobby notices one
of the safe deposit cabinets
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00:10:07,501 --> 00:10:08,918
isn't attached to the wall.
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00:10:09,085 --> 00:10:11,835
If they can find a way
to take it with them,
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00:10:11,835 --> 00:10:13,751
they'll have all the time in
the world to break into it,
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00:10:13,918 --> 00:10:16,418
but they'd need a dolly
to do that.
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00:10:16,585 --> 00:10:20,126
Then mastermind Bobby
gets inspired.
239
00:10:20,251 --> 00:10:23,168
So Bobby remembers that
when he was casing the place,
240
00:10:23,293 --> 00:10:25,460
every day, he saw a window
washer across the street.
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00:10:25,585 --> 00:10:27,210
So he gets an idea.
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00:10:27,335 --> 00:10:29,210
He goes across the street
to the window washer,
243
00:10:29,210 --> 00:10:30,710
and he doesn't ask.
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00:10:30,710 --> 00:10:32,835
He tells him,
"You see that dolly right here?
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00:10:32,835 --> 00:10:35,043
You and I are taking this
across the street."
246
00:10:35,043 --> 00:10:37,585
Pretty much hijacked him in
to come in,
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00:10:37,751 --> 00:10:38,835
help on this robbery.
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00:10:38,835 --> 00:10:40,501
What that really showed me
249
00:10:40,501 --> 00:10:42,543
is Bobby's thinking
on his feet.
250
00:10:42,543 --> 00:10:44,085
You have to improvise.
251
00:10:44,251 --> 00:10:46,960
The best criminals
in the world, they improvise.
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00:10:47,085 --> 00:10:49,543
They've got Sammy
on the dolly,
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00:10:49,668 --> 00:10:50,835
and they've got
the window washer.
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00:10:50,835 --> 00:10:52,043
And the window washer
255
00:10:52,168 --> 00:10:53,668
is kind of a hostage
at this point,
256
00:10:53,793 --> 00:10:55,168
kind of an accessory
to the robbery.
257
00:10:55,293 --> 00:10:57,876
And can you imagine
how heavy this thing is?
258
00:10:57,876 --> 00:10:59,293
They're trying to push
this dolly.
259
00:10:59,418 --> 00:11:02,668
You've got Bobby trailing
the window washer
260
00:11:02,668 --> 00:11:05,210
with a gun, trying to ensure
that he doesn't bail.
261
00:11:05,335 --> 00:11:07,376
When these guys get out
to the streets of New York,
262
00:11:07,376 --> 00:11:08,960
anybody can see them.
263
00:11:09,085 --> 00:11:11,501
This isn't exactly keeping
a low profile.
264
00:11:18,168 --> 00:11:20,876
More than two hours in,
the Regency Hotel
265
00:11:20,876 --> 00:11:24,751
practice heist
is not going well.
266
00:11:24,876 --> 00:11:29,168
So Bobby and his partner Sammy
decide to change course.
267
00:11:29,293 --> 00:11:31,710
They'll wheel
an entire locked cabinet
268
00:11:31,835 --> 00:11:33,418
crammed with safe deposit boxes
269
00:11:33,543 --> 00:11:34,918
out into the street.
270
00:11:35,043 --> 00:11:38,126
Bobby takes these heavy
safe deposit boxes.
271
00:11:38,251 --> 00:11:39,876
He wheels them
right through the lobby,
272
00:11:39,876 --> 00:11:41,835
out the front door,
into an awaiting car.
273
00:11:41,835 --> 00:11:43,335
It takes a lot of balls.
274
00:11:43,460 --> 00:11:46,376
And the window washer
forced to help out,
275
00:11:46,501 --> 00:11:50,835
he gets a $100 bill for his
trouble and his silence.
276
00:11:50,835 --> 00:11:52,876
Bobby gets away
with about $100,000
277
00:11:53,001 --> 00:11:55,710
in jewels and gems,
about $6,000 in cash.
278
00:11:55,710 --> 00:11:57,043
Not a bad take.
279
00:11:59,001 --> 00:12:01,043
Up until this point,
the general public
280
00:12:01,043 --> 00:12:02,710
is really kept in the dark
about these robberies
281
00:12:02,710 --> 00:12:04,251
for obvious reasons.
282
00:12:04,376 --> 00:12:05,501
The hotels are embarrassed.
283
00:12:05,501 --> 00:12:06,960
They don't wanna appear
284
00:12:07,085 --> 00:12:08,751
that they're an open target
for thieves,
285
00:12:08,876 --> 00:12:10,460
but with the Regency,
286
00:12:10,585 --> 00:12:13,668
it's such a big score
that it makes headline news.
287
00:12:13,668 --> 00:12:16,376
Bobby now realizes
288
00:12:16,376 --> 00:12:17,960
that he's brought
unwanted attention.
289
00:12:18,085 --> 00:12:20,543
The NYPD starts seeing
a pattern,
290
00:12:20,543 --> 00:12:22,251
and they form a task force.
291
00:12:22,418 --> 00:12:24,543
There's insurance companies
investigating this as well,
292
00:12:24,668 --> 00:12:26,460
and they're all gonna be
all over
293
00:12:26,585 --> 00:12:28,668
every hotel in New York City.
294
00:12:28,668 --> 00:12:31,376
When Bobby realizes
the heat is on,
295
00:12:31,501 --> 00:12:32,918
he has to lay low.
296
00:12:33,085 --> 00:12:35,585
Bobby Comfort waits patiently
297
00:12:35,710 --> 00:12:37,210
for more than a year,
298
00:12:37,376 --> 00:12:39,335
refining his plan
for what he sees
299
00:12:39,335 --> 00:12:43,335
as his swan song,
The Pierre Hotel heist,
300
00:12:43,335 --> 00:12:46,710
the job that will set him up
for the rest of his life.
301
00:12:46,835 --> 00:12:48,418
It's almost
the holiday season,
302
00:12:48,543 --> 00:12:51,835
and he knows the perfect way
to ring in the new year.
303
00:12:51,835 --> 00:12:54,585
In 1972,
New Year's Eve is a Friday.
304
00:12:54,710 --> 00:12:56,001
So when people come in
305
00:12:56,001 --> 00:12:57,001
to New York City
for the weekend,
306
00:12:57,001 --> 00:12:57,918
they're staying at The Pierre,
307
00:12:58,085 --> 00:12:59,210
they're gonna go out Friday,
308
00:12:59,376 --> 00:13:00,835
and they're gonna go out
on Saturday,
309
00:13:00,835 --> 00:13:02,460
so they're wearing
their finest jewels.
310
00:13:02,585 --> 00:13:05,043
But by Saturday night,
their jewels are tucked safely
311
00:13:05,168 --> 00:13:06,835
into the safe deposit boxes
312
00:13:06,835 --> 00:13:08,876
along with what's left
of their cash,
313
00:13:09,001 --> 00:13:13,210
making it the perfect
opportunity to hit The Pierre.
314
00:13:15,168 --> 00:13:17,918
Bobby brings Sammy in
28 days before the robbery
315
00:13:18,085 --> 00:13:19,876
because Sammy's the tool guy.
316
00:13:19,876 --> 00:13:21,835
Sammy can get
the proper equipment
317
00:13:21,835 --> 00:13:25,626
to get into these maybe
stronger safe deposit boxes.
318
00:13:25,751 --> 00:13:30,876
Bobby tells Sammy that
The Pierre is ripe for them,
319
00:13:31,043 --> 00:13:33,960
and Sammy said,
"But they have such security."
320
00:13:34,085 --> 00:13:36,210
And Bobby said
"I looked it over,
321
00:13:36,335 --> 00:13:37,835
"and it's something
that we can do,
322
00:13:37,835 --> 00:13:39,543
but we have to plan carefully."
323
00:13:42,085 --> 00:13:44,876
Even with two years
of practice,
324
00:13:44,876 --> 00:13:48,168
Sammy is nervous
The Pierre is too big a job.
325
00:13:48,293 --> 00:13:50,001
So the two men do
a walk-through.
326
00:13:50,001 --> 00:13:52,043
When you case a hotel
327
00:13:52,168 --> 00:13:54,376
or a jewelry store
or any robbery,
328
00:13:54,376 --> 00:13:57,251
you have to know when
people are coming and going.
329
00:13:57,376 --> 00:13:59,043
There are security guards
and employees
330
00:13:59,168 --> 00:14:01,168
around every corner 24/7.
331
00:14:07,335 --> 00:14:09,876
When Sammy sees
The Pierre's massive vault door
332
00:14:10,001 --> 00:14:12,418
and all the roving
security guards,
333
00:14:12,543 --> 00:14:13,793
he has his doubts.
334
00:14:13,918 --> 00:14:16,210
But Comfort assures him
a gun to the head
335
00:14:16,335 --> 00:14:18,501
of the right employee
will open any door,
336
00:14:18,501 --> 00:14:20,501
even the vault.
337
00:14:20,501 --> 00:14:22,876
There's just one thing.
338
00:14:23,001 --> 00:14:24,835
They need some help.
339
00:14:26,335 --> 00:14:28,001
This is a huge,
luxurious hotel.
340
00:14:28,126 --> 00:14:31,251
They have 18 security guards
at The Pierre.
341
00:14:31,376 --> 00:14:33,918
They're working
in eight-hour shifts.
342
00:14:34,085 --> 00:14:35,335
There's no doubt
it's intimidating.
343
00:14:39,543 --> 00:14:41,710
About 18 days
before the robbery,
344
00:14:41,835 --> 00:14:44,585
Bobby hires three
outside people.
345
00:14:44,710 --> 00:14:45,835
He doesn't tell him anything.
346
00:14:45,960 --> 00:14:47,460
Doesn't tell them
where it's gonna be.
347
00:14:47,585 --> 00:14:49,751
But he does tell him
the date it's gonna happen.
348
00:14:49,876 --> 00:14:51,918
"I need you
from this time to this time.
349
00:14:52,043 --> 00:14:53,585
"I'm gonna pay you this money.
350
00:14:53,710 --> 00:14:55,668
It's a big score. Are you in?"
351
00:14:55,668 --> 00:14:58,168
The three guys say yes.
352
00:14:58,168 --> 00:14:59,960
To this day,
we only know them
353
00:15:00,085 --> 00:15:04,043
as City, Country, and Doc.
354
00:15:04,210 --> 00:15:05,960
When you're doing a robbery,
every person on that team
355
00:15:06,085 --> 00:15:08,710
gets a nickname,
even Bobby and Sammy.
356
00:15:08,710 --> 00:15:10,085
In case
they have to communicate,
357
00:15:10,210 --> 00:15:11,876
you're not gonna say
a person's name.
358
00:15:12,001 --> 00:15:14,751
"Hey, Bobby or Sammy,
get that drill."
359
00:15:14,918 --> 00:15:16,501
Or, "Hey, Larry, I need this."
360
00:15:16,501 --> 00:15:19,710
You use an alias or a nickname
during a robbery.
361
00:15:19,710 --> 00:15:21,043
Very important.
362
00:15:21,168 --> 00:15:22,710
Sammy needs a man
363
00:15:22,876 --> 00:15:25,251
to help him bust open
the boxes.
364
00:15:25,418 --> 00:15:27,876
City is a man
they've worked with before.
365
00:15:28,043 --> 00:15:30,793
They used City
in the Carlyle Hotel robbery
366
00:15:30,918 --> 00:15:32,960
in their first year,
so Bobby brings him on
367
00:15:33,085 --> 00:15:34,710
because he knows
he can trust him.
368
00:15:34,710 --> 00:15:36,543
Bobby hires Doc
369
00:15:36,668 --> 00:15:38,960
because Doc is a friend
from out of town.
370
00:15:39,085 --> 00:15:42,710
Doc also helped him with
the Regency Hotel robbery.
371
00:15:42,835 --> 00:15:44,126
Country's an interesting case.
372
00:15:44,251 --> 00:15:45,710
You've got Bobby
at a card game,
373
00:15:45,876 --> 00:15:47,460
and he's looking
across the table,
374
00:15:47,585 --> 00:15:49,585
and there's Country.
375
00:15:49,751 --> 00:15:52,126
And he's thinking,
"God, this man looks so dumb,
376
00:15:52,251 --> 00:15:53,543
"but he's got balls.
377
00:15:53,710 --> 00:15:55,210
"He takes huge risks.
378
00:15:55,376 --> 00:15:57,293
That's exactly what I need
for one of my robberies."
379
00:15:57,418 --> 00:16:00,085
And that is how Country gets
hired for The Pierre robbery.
380
00:16:00,210 --> 00:16:02,376
Nalo rents an apartment
381
00:16:02,501 --> 00:16:04,501
a mile southwest
of The Pierre.
382
00:16:04,626 --> 00:16:07,918
This will be their hideout
before and after the robbery.
383
00:16:08,085 --> 00:16:11,210
The three hired guns
rent rooms at a hotel
384
00:16:11,210 --> 00:16:13,126
a mile farther downtown.
385
00:16:13,251 --> 00:16:15,376
The team deliberately keeps
some distance
386
00:16:15,501 --> 00:16:18,251
from both The Pierre
and each other.
387
00:16:18,376 --> 00:16:20,335
As part of the preparation
for the heist,
388
00:16:20,460 --> 00:16:22,585
Bobby and Sammy go
to the library.
389
00:16:22,710 --> 00:16:25,376
They're learning everything
they can about the hotel.
390
00:16:25,376 --> 00:16:27,793
They're also learning
about who the guests are
391
00:16:27,918 --> 00:16:30,293
that are gonna be there
that weekend.
392
00:16:30,418 --> 00:16:33,001
The Pierre had a lot
of famous hotel guests,
393
00:16:33,001 --> 00:16:35,751
but one of the most famous
was Gabriele Lagerwall.
394
00:16:35,918 --> 00:16:39,751
She lived in a seven-room
apartment at The Pierre,
395
00:16:39,876 --> 00:16:42,668
and she had about
$3 million worth of jewels.
396
00:16:42,668 --> 00:16:45,835
And she is always photographed
in the gossip columns
397
00:16:45,960 --> 00:16:49,335
wearing these huge
diamond necklaces.
398
00:16:50,626 --> 00:16:52,543
Two weeks
before the robbery,
399
00:16:52,668 --> 00:16:55,460
Bobby Comfort checks in
to the hotel.
400
00:16:55,585 --> 00:16:59,668
The reason he checked in
is so he could be in the hotel
401
00:16:59,668 --> 00:17:02,251
when they locked the doors
late and they have a doorman.
402
00:17:02,376 --> 00:17:05,210
The Pierre locks its doors
403
00:17:05,376 --> 00:17:07,835
between 1:00 a.m.
and 6:30 a.m.,
404
00:17:07,960 --> 00:17:09,835
which makes a lot of sense
for the hotel,
405
00:17:09,960 --> 00:17:12,085
because they only have
one door open,
406
00:17:12,251 --> 00:17:14,335
one guard watching
that one door,
407
00:17:14,335 --> 00:17:16,085
and they're really able
to control who comes in
408
00:17:16,210 --> 00:17:17,876
and who comes out.
409
00:17:17,876 --> 00:17:20,418
But for Bobby,
that was a great scenario,
410
00:17:20,543 --> 00:17:22,543
because he only
had to worry about
411
00:17:22,668 --> 00:17:24,710
one door rather than four.
412
00:17:24,710 --> 00:17:27,251
But that door has
lots of protection,
413
00:17:27,418 --> 00:17:29,960
seven guards spread
throughout the hotel.
414
00:17:30,085 --> 00:17:33,668
Rounding them up fast will
be the team's first priority.
415
00:17:33,668 --> 00:17:36,251
He's watching the comings
and goings of all the employees
416
00:17:36,418 --> 00:17:39,043
and all the security guards,
but he notices
417
00:17:39,043 --> 00:17:41,043
that the night auditor opens
the vault
418
00:17:41,210 --> 00:17:42,918
at 3:40 in the morning.
419
00:17:43,043 --> 00:17:44,710
And because
he's checking the cash
420
00:17:44,710 --> 00:17:46,335
and he's refilling money,
421
00:17:46,335 --> 00:17:48,335
he's back and forth between
the cashier's office,
422
00:17:48,460 --> 00:17:50,376
he leaves the vault door open
until 4:30.
423
00:17:50,501 --> 00:17:52,501
Bingo, it's the perfect time
424
00:17:52,501 --> 00:17:54,751
to commit this robbery
when the vault is already open.
425
00:17:59,001 --> 00:18:00,460
During the casing
of this robbery,
426
00:18:00,585 --> 00:18:03,376
Bobby and Sammy practice
multiple routes,
427
00:18:03,376 --> 00:18:05,043
multiple directions
to get out of this
428
00:18:05,210 --> 00:18:06,543
to the safe house.
429
00:18:06,668 --> 00:18:09,043
And a good robber,
what he does
430
00:18:09,168 --> 00:18:10,543
is he gets an alternate route
431
00:18:10,668 --> 00:18:12,293
even en route
432
00:18:12,418 --> 00:18:14,251
in case maybe he thought
someone saw him
433
00:18:14,418 --> 00:18:15,960
and the person followed him.
434
00:18:16,085 --> 00:18:19,126
You have to have
multiple exit strategies.
435
00:18:19,251 --> 00:18:21,418
As they get closer
to the date,
436
00:18:21,585 --> 00:18:23,293
they go out and they buy
some supplies.
437
00:18:23,418 --> 00:18:25,293
Handcuffs--20 sets--
438
00:18:25,418 --> 00:18:27,626
gloves, and tape.
439
00:18:27,751 --> 00:18:29,793
Now, they don't all buy it
in one store,
440
00:18:29,918 --> 00:18:31,960
reason being is because
441
00:18:32,085 --> 00:18:33,210
that was gonna look
kind of odd.
442
00:18:33,210 --> 00:18:35,043
"Can I get 20 sets
of handcuffs?"
443
00:18:36,710 --> 00:18:39,876
It's not like an S&M party
or something like that.
444
00:18:40,043 --> 00:18:42,376
They need disguises,
so they go
445
00:18:42,376 --> 00:18:45,376
to a variety of stores
to pick out disguises.
446
00:18:45,376 --> 00:18:47,918
They got wigs,
they got beards,
447
00:18:48,043 --> 00:18:49,668
they got mustaches,
448
00:18:49,668 --> 00:18:52,126
they got eyebrows,
and they got noses.
449
00:18:55,668 --> 00:18:57,210
Three days
before the robbery,
450
00:18:57,376 --> 00:18:59,126
Bobby lets them know
they're gonna be robbing
451
00:18:59,251 --> 00:19:02,085
The Pierre Hotel
the day after New Year's.
452
00:19:02,210 --> 00:19:04,335
They have to know their jobs.
453
00:19:04,460 --> 00:19:06,168
Who's gonna go to the desk?
454
00:19:06,168 --> 00:19:08,585
Who's gonna to take down
the guard at the door?
455
00:19:08,710 --> 00:19:10,543
You have to take down
multiple people at once.
456
00:19:10,668 --> 00:19:13,793
You have to do it--the timing,
'cause even back in 1972,
457
00:19:13,918 --> 00:19:15,793
they used to have buzzers
458
00:19:15,918 --> 00:19:17,751
that would go
to the police department.
459
00:19:19,710 --> 00:19:23,001
Comfort and Nalo plan
to position the getaway car
460
00:19:23,001 --> 00:19:24,918
down the block from the hotel
461
00:19:25,085 --> 00:19:26,960
and hide near the entrance.
462
00:19:27,085 --> 00:19:29,168
City will dress
as a chauffeur
463
00:19:29,168 --> 00:19:31,585
and drive Doc and Country,
464
00:19:31,710 --> 00:19:35,210
posing as wealthy hotel guests
in the limo.
465
00:19:35,335 --> 00:19:38,501
They'll all arrive
at 4:00 a.m.
466
00:19:38,626 --> 00:19:40,543
When Bobby does
his first briefing
467
00:19:40,543 --> 00:19:43,043
about The Pierre Hotel heist,
he tells the men
468
00:19:43,043 --> 00:19:44,168
the hotel's gonna be
on lockdown.
469
00:19:44,168 --> 00:19:45,543
It's in the middle
of the night.
470
00:19:45,668 --> 00:19:48,376
They have to arrive
at the 61st Street entrance.
471
00:19:48,501 --> 00:19:50,001
They've got five men
this time,
472
00:19:50,126 --> 00:19:51,668
so they need to delineate
the roles.
473
00:19:51,668 --> 00:19:53,293
You've got Country,
who's gonna stay
474
00:19:53,418 --> 00:19:55,251
at the 61st Street entrance.
475
00:19:55,418 --> 00:19:57,210
You've got Doc,
who's gonna be holding
476
00:19:57,335 --> 00:19:58,668
the hostages at gunpoint.
477
00:19:58,793 --> 00:20:00,835
Sammy and City
are going to be focused
478
00:20:00,960 --> 00:20:02,251
on the safe deposit boxes.
479
00:20:02,376 --> 00:20:04,001
And Bobby, as usual,
480
00:20:04,126 --> 00:20:05,585
is going to be manning
the front desk.
481
00:20:05,710 --> 00:20:08,376
They have to be out of there
by 6:30.
482
00:20:08,376 --> 00:20:11,043
In a job where you gotta
break into safe deposit boxes,
483
00:20:11,168 --> 00:20:12,376
it takes time.
484
00:20:12,501 --> 00:20:14,543
This is not a smash and grab.
485
00:20:18,418 --> 00:20:20,085
The evening of the heist,
486
00:20:20,210 --> 00:20:21,793
they start
at Sammy's apartment.
487
00:20:21,918 --> 00:20:24,835
You have Sammy and Country
that are wearing wigs.
488
00:20:24,835 --> 00:20:25,918
City as well.
489
00:20:26,043 --> 00:20:27,335
He's gonna be the limo driver.
490
00:20:27,335 --> 00:20:29,710
Doc and Country put on tuxedos.
491
00:20:29,835 --> 00:20:33,043
But Comfort chooses
a more obvious disguise.
492
00:20:33,168 --> 00:20:34,585
Bobby has glasses,
493
00:20:34,710 --> 00:20:36,460
and so he puts a ski mask
over his face
494
00:20:36,585 --> 00:20:38,376
to ensure that the glasses
stay on.
495
00:20:38,376 --> 00:20:40,085
Doc doesn't have a disguise,
496
00:20:40,210 --> 00:20:41,376
because he isn't staying
in New York.
497
00:20:41,376 --> 00:20:42,585
He's not sticking around.
498
00:20:42,710 --> 00:20:44,001
The adrenaline's pumping.
499
00:20:44,126 --> 00:20:45,251
They're thinking
about the score.
500
00:20:45,418 --> 00:20:47,043
They're right about
to take down.
501
00:20:47,043 --> 00:20:48,210
There also has to be
a fear factor
502
00:20:48,335 --> 00:20:50,043
of getting caught.
503
00:20:50,043 --> 00:20:51,460
You're ready.
504
00:20:51,585 --> 00:20:53,126
The pressure starts building.
505
00:20:54,835 --> 00:20:55,918
It's happening.
506
00:20:58,751 --> 00:21:01,376
Dunford and Nalo arrive
at The Pierre first.
507
00:21:01,501 --> 00:21:03,876
They take positions
on either side
508
00:21:03,876 --> 00:21:07,043
of the 61st Street entrance,
hidden from the guard's view.
509
00:21:07,210 --> 00:21:09,501
Minutes later,
the limousine arrives.
510
00:21:09,501 --> 00:21:11,626
At first, it's a scene
like any other night.
511
00:21:11,751 --> 00:21:14,876
They roll up to The Pierre
on the 61st Street side.
512
00:21:14,876 --> 00:21:17,543
City, Country, and Doc
get out of the limousine.
513
00:21:17,668 --> 00:21:19,043
They approach the front door.
514
00:21:19,168 --> 00:21:20,501
The security guard meets them.
515
00:21:20,626 --> 00:21:22,460
They say,
"We have a reservation
516
00:21:22,585 --> 00:21:25,335
under the name of Dr. Foster."
517
00:21:25,460 --> 00:21:27,460
The second that
they start stepping in,
518
00:21:27,585 --> 00:21:29,960
Bobby and Sammy race out
from behind the planters,
519
00:21:30,085 --> 00:21:31,918
and the heist is on.
520
00:21:36,585 --> 00:21:38,710
1972 has barely begun
521
00:21:38,835 --> 00:21:42,710
as Bobby Comfort, Sammy Nalo,
and their three accomplices
522
00:21:42,876 --> 00:21:44,876
force their way
into New York City's
523
00:21:45,001 --> 00:21:47,043
elite Pierre Hotel.
524
00:21:47,168 --> 00:21:50,543
It's been three years since
Comfort first planned it,
525
00:21:50,543 --> 00:21:54,168
but his heist
to end all heists has begun.
526
00:21:55,751 --> 00:21:57,335
When they let 'em in,
the guns fly.
527
00:21:57,460 --> 00:21:59,876
They take this guard down.
528
00:21:59,876 --> 00:22:01,876
And now they have control
of the front door.
529
00:22:02,001 --> 00:22:05,335
Like a well-choreographed
strike team,
530
00:22:05,335 --> 00:22:07,626
they go in so fast, so quick,
531
00:22:07,751 --> 00:22:09,543
that the staff, the security,
532
00:22:09,543 --> 00:22:11,543
they don't even know
what's going on.
533
00:22:11,543 --> 00:22:14,085
And this is a credit
to Bobby's insistence
534
00:22:14,210 --> 00:22:15,835
that everybody be prepared.
535
00:22:17,501 --> 00:22:19,168
Sammy leaps
over the front desk,
536
00:22:19,168 --> 00:22:21,543
and he takes the clerk hostage.
537
00:22:21,668 --> 00:22:23,543
City races to the elevator
538
00:22:23,668 --> 00:22:25,418
and takes the elevator operator hostage.
539
00:22:25,543 --> 00:22:28,543
Bobby, one track mind,
straight to the vault.
540
00:22:28,543 --> 00:22:30,793
He's got a ski mask on,
541
00:22:30,918 --> 00:22:33,001
so he can't just walk
very slowly to that place,
542
00:22:33,001 --> 00:22:34,376
'cause the guy will see him
543
00:22:34,376 --> 00:22:36,293
and then lock up the place immediately.
544
00:22:36,418 --> 00:22:37,918
He's in a cash room.
545
00:22:38,043 --> 00:22:39,376
There's secure systems.
546
00:22:39,501 --> 00:22:40,918
There's buttons
to the police department.
547
00:22:41,043 --> 00:22:44,418
But no, Bobby sneaks up
quietly, gets to the guy,
548
00:22:44,543 --> 00:22:47,168
and gets the drop on him,
as we used to call it.
549
00:22:47,168 --> 00:22:48,251
That guy's in shock.
550
00:22:48,376 --> 00:22:49,918
Hands go up.
551
00:22:50,043 --> 00:22:52,085
For their plan,
take all the hostages,
552
00:22:52,251 --> 00:22:53,543
put them in one place,
553
00:22:53,668 --> 00:22:55,960
and that place
is the executive office.
554
00:22:56,085 --> 00:22:59,335
Being The Pierre Hotel
is 41 stories,
555
00:22:59,460 --> 00:23:01,376
multiple people living
in there,
556
00:23:01,501 --> 00:23:03,376
you're not gonna take over
every room.
557
00:23:03,501 --> 00:23:05,460
But you have to secure
the main floor,
558
00:23:05,585 --> 00:23:07,293
and at least you'll know
who's coming down
559
00:23:07,418 --> 00:23:09,043
by watching the elevator.
560
00:23:14,543 --> 00:23:16,043
It's only been 11 minutes,
561
00:23:16,043 --> 00:23:18,710
and the robbers have captured
six hostages.
562
00:23:18,710 --> 00:23:22,876
But in a hotel this size
in the city that never sleeps,
563
00:23:22,876 --> 00:23:26,043
Comfort's biggest concerns
are how many people
564
00:23:26,043 --> 00:23:28,085
will they end up holding here,
565
00:23:28,210 --> 00:23:31,710
and can they maintain control?
566
00:23:31,835 --> 00:23:34,418
They clear the lobby,
and they're looking
567
00:23:34,543 --> 00:23:36,543
for the security guards
and thinking
568
00:23:36,668 --> 00:23:40,668
that there are seven,
'cause usually there are seven.
569
00:23:40,668 --> 00:23:42,210
They're grabbing
the employees,
570
00:23:42,376 --> 00:23:44,335
and they get four
security guards.
571
00:23:44,460 --> 00:23:46,085
There's three
unaccounted for.
572
00:23:46,210 --> 00:23:47,501
That's panic time.
573
00:23:47,626 --> 00:23:49,585
Where are these other
three guards?
574
00:23:49,751 --> 00:23:51,376
But Bobby,
he's a quick thinker.
575
00:23:51,376 --> 00:23:52,501
What does he do?
576
00:23:52,626 --> 00:23:54,001
He takes one of the managers,
577
00:23:54,001 --> 00:23:55,376
puts a gun to his head,
578
00:23:55,543 --> 00:23:57,168
and finds out
that they're short-staffed
579
00:23:57,293 --> 00:23:58,960
'cause it's a holiday.
580
00:23:59,085 --> 00:24:00,168
It's New Year's.
581
00:24:03,043 --> 00:24:06,460
After 30 minutes of sweeping
the lobby and basement,
582
00:24:06,585 --> 00:24:09,876
they now have
16 frightened hostages.
583
00:24:10,001 --> 00:24:12,710
Comfort assures them,
listen, no one will get hurt
584
00:24:12,835 --> 00:24:15,460
if everyone just stays calm.
585
00:24:15,585 --> 00:24:17,418
Confident in Bobby's planning,
586
00:24:17,543 --> 00:24:19,376
men take up their positions,
587
00:24:19,543 --> 00:24:22,710
hoping for
a hiccup-free heist.
588
00:24:22,835 --> 00:24:24,960
Bobby's casing set up
a really important part.
589
00:24:25,085 --> 00:24:27,793
He put a man at the door
with a security outfit on.
590
00:24:27,918 --> 00:24:30,376
Country stays
at the 61st Street exit.
591
00:24:30,376 --> 00:24:32,168
Doc is with the hostages.
592
00:24:32,168 --> 00:24:35,376
Sammy and City are attacking
these safe deposit boxes
593
00:24:35,501 --> 00:24:36,918
with a hammer and a chisel.
594
00:24:37,085 --> 00:24:39,835
Bobby takes position
at the reception desk
595
00:24:39,835 --> 00:24:41,585
so he can watch the elevator.
596
00:24:41,751 --> 00:24:42,876
He can also answer the phone.
597
00:24:43,001 --> 00:24:44,585
Who's calling
to check on a reservation
598
00:24:44,710 --> 00:24:45,668
if somebody checked in?
599
00:24:45,668 --> 00:24:47,335
I have now control of that.
600
00:24:52,001 --> 00:24:54,126
This is where it becomes
rather interesting.
601
00:24:54,251 --> 00:24:58,335
45 minutes into the heist,
an elderly guest
602
00:24:58,335 --> 00:25:02,376
approaches the side entrance
and asks to be allowed in.
603
00:25:02,501 --> 00:25:04,543
The gunman opens the door.
604
00:25:04,543 --> 00:25:06,043
He puts a gun
into the man's stomach...
605
00:25:08,710 --> 00:25:11,626
And the man nearly fainted.
606
00:25:11,751 --> 00:25:13,876
The guy almost has
a heart attack.
607
00:25:13,876 --> 00:25:15,293
He starts sweating.
He's scared.
608
00:25:15,418 --> 00:25:16,918
Bobby's worried.
609
00:25:17,043 --> 00:25:19,460
Bobby puts him in a chair,
doesn't tie him up.
610
00:25:19,585 --> 00:25:20,876
He has to stay calm
611
00:25:20,876 --> 00:25:22,460
'cause he can't have
this guy die.
612
00:25:22,585 --> 00:25:24,835
If anyone dies
during the commission
613
00:25:24,960 --> 00:25:26,376
of a felony or a robbery,
614
00:25:26,376 --> 00:25:28,710
they are charged with murder.
615
00:25:28,876 --> 00:25:30,835
Even if a cop comes
to the place
616
00:25:30,960 --> 00:25:33,585
and shoots somebody,
misses you,
617
00:25:33,751 --> 00:25:36,418
and kills a civilian
or kills your partner,
618
00:25:36,585 --> 00:25:38,710
you're getting a murder beat.
619
00:25:38,835 --> 00:25:40,835
The concerned Comfort decides
620
00:25:40,960 --> 00:25:42,585
to check in at the vault,
621
00:25:42,710 --> 00:25:45,460
where Nalo's patented
smash-and-grab tactics
622
00:25:45,585 --> 00:25:47,376
are well under way.
623
00:25:47,501 --> 00:25:48,668
Bobby goes into the vault
624
00:25:48,668 --> 00:25:50,085
to check and see
how it's going.
625
00:25:50,210 --> 00:25:51,293
Sammy looks at him.
626
00:25:51,418 --> 00:25:52,751
He's in a bit of a panic.
627
00:25:52,918 --> 00:25:55,543
He says, "This is the Regency
all over again.
628
00:25:55,543 --> 00:25:56,876
"However, this time,
we can't even get
629
00:25:56,876 --> 00:25:58,418
the boxes out of the wall."
630
00:25:58,543 --> 00:25:59,585
They're embedded in the wall,
631
00:25:59,751 --> 00:26:01,710
so these aren't being dollied anywhere.
632
00:26:01,835 --> 00:26:03,918
They are opening these boxes,
633
00:26:04,043 --> 00:26:05,876
and they're not finding
what they expected.
634
00:26:05,876 --> 00:26:08,085
They're finding nothing
in many of the boxes.
635
00:26:08,210 --> 00:26:10,376
Think of how much time
it takes you
636
00:26:10,376 --> 00:26:13,043
to get into one box,
and now you're finding nothing.
637
00:26:13,168 --> 00:26:15,168
They start panicking.
"What am I gonna do?"
638
00:26:15,168 --> 00:26:18,168
Mastermind Bobby quickly
comes up with a plan.
639
00:26:18,168 --> 00:26:21,210
Target the wealthiest
boxholders first,
640
00:26:21,335 --> 00:26:23,918
and he knows Sammy can be
very persuasive.
641
00:26:24,085 --> 00:26:26,960
Realizing that they are
wasting precious time,
642
00:26:27,085 --> 00:26:29,710
Sammy crabs the night auditor,
and this man
643
00:26:29,710 --> 00:26:32,460
is gonna give him the list
of names of the box owners
644
00:26:32,585 --> 00:26:33,876
if it's the last thing he does.
645
00:26:36,335 --> 00:26:39,043
Bobby and Sam know
how to make somebody talk.
646
00:26:39,210 --> 00:26:40,543
You can do it
either the easy way
647
00:26:40,543 --> 00:26:42,001
or the hard way.
648
00:26:50,001 --> 00:26:53,168
Just over an hour
into The Pierre Hotel heist,
649
00:26:53,293 --> 00:26:57,168
Sammy Nalo is using his
unique talent for persuasion
650
00:26:57,168 --> 00:26:58,626
on the night auditor.
651
00:26:58,751 --> 00:27:01,626
Doesn't take long to get
the list of boxholders.
652
00:27:01,751 --> 00:27:03,710
He didn't hesitate.
653
00:27:03,835 --> 00:27:07,210
He's not about to save
the heiress on the 27th floor.
654
00:27:07,376 --> 00:27:09,960
He wanted to save his own skin.
655
00:27:10,085 --> 00:27:12,710
They had already been reading
the gossip pages,
656
00:27:12,835 --> 00:27:15,376
so they knew which stars
and which celebrities
657
00:27:15,376 --> 00:27:17,251
and rich people were there.
658
00:27:17,376 --> 00:27:18,543
So they went right to them.
659
00:27:18,710 --> 00:27:22,001
Bam, the first one they hit,
got money.
660
00:27:22,001 --> 00:27:24,501
Let's keep going.
661
00:27:24,501 --> 00:27:26,251
They got a list now,
662
00:27:26,418 --> 00:27:29,710
and now they can
really target certain boxes.
663
00:27:29,710 --> 00:27:32,043
They find the Red Sox owner's
box.
664
00:27:32,168 --> 00:27:36,585
There was $17,000 in cash
and $17,000 in jewels.
665
00:27:36,751 --> 00:27:39,251
They also find
a Greek shipping heiress' box
666
00:27:39,376 --> 00:27:43,001
with a necklace in it
worth $400,000 alone.
667
00:27:43,126 --> 00:27:45,293
Inside Gabriele Lagerwall's box,
668
00:27:45,418 --> 00:27:47,876
she had one single necklace
669
00:27:47,876 --> 00:27:51,085
that was worth more than
$5 million in today's money.
670
00:27:55,543 --> 00:27:57,960
The men barely have time
to celebrate
671
00:27:58,085 --> 00:28:00,501
when the phone rings
at the reception desk.
672
00:28:00,501 --> 00:28:02,210
Bobby Comfort answers
673
00:28:02,335 --> 00:28:04,585
in the calmest voice
he can muster.
674
00:28:04,751 --> 00:28:06,668
There's a problem
on the 37th floor.
675
00:28:06,668 --> 00:28:07,626
There's a man up there.
676
00:28:07,751 --> 00:28:09,168
He's a Brazilian lawyer.
677
00:28:09,293 --> 00:28:11,876
He's just walked his
mother-in-law to her room.
678
00:28:12,043 --> 00:28:13,710
Now he needs to get down
to the 20th floor,
679
00:28:13,710 --> 00:28:14,876
where his room is,
680
00:28:15,043 --> 00:28:16,418
and he's been waiting
for an elevator,
681
00:28:16,543 --> 00:28:18,210
and one is not coming.
682
00:28:18,210 --> 00:28:20,210
Hotels like The Pierre
and the Plaza
683
00:28:20,376 --> 00:28:22,668
still were using these kind of
old-fashioned elevators
684
00:28:22,668 --> 00:28:24,293
where you would close the gate,
685
00:28:24,418 --> 00:28:26,335
and you'd have an elevator man.
686
00:28:26,335 --> 00:28:29,251
Unfortunately,
all the elevator operators
687
00:28:29,376 --> 00:28:30,960
are tied up at the moment.
688
00:28:31,085 --> 00:28:34,501
Bobby receives the phone call
and says, "Coming right up."
689
00:28:34,626 --> 00:28:36,876
Doc goes up the elevator.
690
00:28:36,876 --> 00:28:38,626
He grabs the lawyer
and the mother-in-law.
691
00:28:38,751 --> 00:28:40,376
He takes them hostage.
692
00:28:40,501 --> 00:28:43,460
He then tries to get
the elevator to go back down,
693
00:28:43,585 --> 00:28:45,376
but this elevator
isn't going anywhere.
694
00:28:45,376 --> 00:28:47,210
He probably didn't know
695
00:28:47,210 --> 00:28:49,585
how to operate
the elevator properly.
696
00:28:49,710 --> 00:28:51,251
Maybe he didn't close
the gate all the way.
697
00:28:51,376 --> 00:28:52,460
So he got stuck.
698
00:28:53,626 --> 00:28:54,835
Doc can't get back down,
699
00:28:54,835 --> 00:28:56,335
so he calls Bobby.
700
00:28:56,460 --> 00:28:58,376
And Bobby now has to leave
the front desk,
701
00:28:58,501 --> 00:28:59,835
which wasn't part of the plan,
702
00:28:59,835 --> 00:29:01,418
to go get Doc and the hostages.
703
00:29:04,085 --> 00:29:07,376
Bobby Comfort is,
well, uncomfortable.
704
00:29:07,376 --> 00:29:10,168
They got less than an hour
until the day shift shows up,
705
00:29:10,168 --> 00:29:12,751
only one man watching
17 hostages
706
00:29:12,918 --> 00:29:15,918
with no eyes on the entrance.
707
00:29:16,043 --> 00:29:18,210
Not exactly
what they planned for.
708
00:29:18,210 --> 00:29:20,710
Now you can imagine
Bobby's anxiety.
709
00:29:20,835 --> 00:29:23,501
He's worried this whole plan
is gonna implode.
710
00:29:23,501 --> 00:29:25,835
When Bobby got the lawyer
and the mother-in-law
711
00:29:25,835 --> 00:29:28,085
on the 37th floor,
the lawyer says,
712
00:29:28,251 --> 00:29:30,210
"But my wife is
on the 20th floor."
713
00:29:30,376 --> 00:29:33,335
And Bobby said,
"Well, we have to get her too,"
714
00:29:33,460 --> 00:29:36,335
because she's scared,
and she can make phone calls.
715
00:29:36,335 --> 00:29:37,710
This could be a problem.
716
00:29:37,835 --> 00:29:40,793
So let's get the wife as well.
717
00:29:40,918 --> 00:29:42,626
The more hostages
Bobby's getting,
718
00:29:42,751 --> 00:29:46,001
it's creating a larger problem
for the whole takedown,
719
00:29:46,001 --> 00:29:48,543
because every encounter
could be a deadly encounter.
720
00:29:48,710 --> 00:29:49,876
Who's gonna have
a heart attack?
721
00:29:49,876 --> 00:29:51,376
Who's gonna fight back?
722
00:29:51,543 --> 00:29:54,210
So it's becoming
a real big problem real fast.
723
00:29:54,335 --> 00:29:56,043
While Bobby's
in the elevator,
724
00:29:56,168 --> 00:29:59,168
he recognizes
that this lawyer has had
725
00:29:59,293 --> 00:30:01,168
ample amount of time
to look at Doc,
726
00:30:01,168 --> 00:30:03,585
and Doc does not have
a disguise on.
727
00:30:03,710 --> 00:30:06,126
So Bobby,
thinking quickly again, says,
728
00:30:06,251 --> 00:30:08,085
"Look,
I'm gonna make you a deal.
729
00:30:08,210 --> 00:30:10,085
"Give me your safety
deposit box number,
730
00:30:10,210 --> 00:30:11,543
"and we're not gonna touch it.
731
00:30:11,710 --> 00:30:13,543
"We're also not gonna hurt
your family,
732
00:30:13,543 --> 00:30:15,626
"but in return,
you saw nothing.
733
00:30:15,751 --> 00:30:17,210
You don't talk to the police."
734
00:30:19,835 --> 00:30:22,418
As the heist crosses
the two-hour mark,
735
00:30:22,585 --> 00:30:25,335
Comfort's fear begins
to overpower his greed.
736
00:30:25,335 --> 00:30:27,043
He wants to pack it up,
737
00:30:27,168 --> 00:30:29,418
but Sammy insists
on more time.
738
00:30:29,543 --> 00:30:31,626
He's telling Sammy,
"We gotta go, we gotta go."
739
00:30:31,751 --> 00:30:32,876
Sammy don't wanna leave.
740
00:30:33,001 --> 00:30:34,876
Sammy's found gold.
741
00:30:35,001 --> 00:30:36,626
He found the boxes.
742
00:30:36,751 --> 00:30:38,751
But Bobby's always thinking
of the time
743
00:30:38,918 --> 00:30:41,168
'cause he knows
the longer it goes,
744
00:30:41,293 --> 00:30:42,876
the better chance I have
of getting caught.
745
00:30:43,001 --> 00:30:44,210
Somebody getting up,
746
00:30:44,335 --> 00:30:46,918
a cop coming in,
change of shift.
747
00:30:47,085 --> 00:30:49,168
He knows his time,
and he's gotta go.
748
00:30:49,168 --> 00:30:50,751
With the clock ticking,
749
00:30:50,876 --> 00:30:54,376
Bobby can't afford
any more hiccups.
750
00:30:54,501 --> 00:30:57,335
So 6:00 a.m.,
there's a knock on the door.
751
00:30:57,335 --> 00:30:58,710
Who is it?
752
00:30:58,876 --> 00:31:01,335
It's the paper delivery guy.
753
00:31:01,335 --> 00:31:05,001
Jesus.
So now it's 21 hostages.
754
00:31:05,001 --> 00:31:06,793
It's like,
when is this gonna end?
755
00:31:06,918 --> 00:31:09,085
They know they gotta go.
756
00:31:09,251 --> 00:31:10,918
Everybody's doing their jobs,
and all of a sudden,
757
00:31:11,043 --> 00:31:12,793
Doc, what does he do?
758
00:31:12,918 --> 00:31:15,751
He says Bobby's real name.
759
00:31:15,876 --> 00:31:17,335
"Hey, Bobby, we gotta go!"
760
00:31:20,501 --> 00:31:24,668
Now 21 hostages who have
their eyes and mouths taped,
761
00:31:24,793 --> 00:31:26,543
they all hear Bobby's name.
762
00:31:34,335 --> 00:31:36,043
It's now less
than 30 minutes
763
00:31:36,168 --> 00:31:39,168
before The Pierre Hotel's
morning shift arrives,
764
00:31:39,168 --> 00:31:41,835
and one of the gunmen
just compromised the heist
765
00:31:41,960 --> 00:31:44,085
by using Bobby Comfort's
real name.
766
00:31:44,210 --> 00:31:45,835
Imagine you're Bobby
767
00:31:45,960 --> 00:31:48,376
and you plan this thing
to the tee.
768
00:31:48,376 --> 00:31:51,876
All of a sudden,
you hear your own name
769
00:31:52,001 --> 00:31:53,043
come out of the mouth
of someone.
770
00:31:53,168 --> 00:31:56,043
It's gotta be like a shock.
771
00:31:56,168 --> 00:31:58,210
You know somebody heard
your name.
772
00:31:58,376 --> 00:32:00,626
Now it's getting
a little sketchy.
773
00:32:00,751 --> 00:32:01,918
"Let's go, let's go!"
774
00:32:02,043 --> 00:32:04,085
You gotta get out of there.
775
00:32:04,210 --> 00:32:07,710
City, Doc, and Country
are the first to leave.
776
00:32:07,876 --> 00:32:09,710
They all piled
into their limousine.
777
00:32:09,710 --> 00:32:11,918
Bobby Comfort stays behind.
778
00:32:12,043 --> 00:32:14,043
The last thing
that Bobby Comfort does
779
00:32:14,210 --> 00:32:16,376
before he leaves
The Pierre Hotel
780
00:32:16,501 --> 00:32:20,085
is address the hostages.
781
00:32:20,210 --> 00:32:22,126
And he says,
"Nobody talk to the police,"
782
00:32:22,251 --> 00:32:25,251
and then he starts
tipping everybody 20s.
783
00:32:25,418 --> 00:32:27,168
You get at 20
and you get at 20,
784
00:32:27,168 --> 00:32:28,918
oh, but except
for the security guards.
785
00:32:29,085 --> 00:32:30,501
They get nothing.
786
00:32:30,501 --> 00:32:32,710
And once he was comfortable
that no one had left
787
00:32:32,835 --> 00:32:34,335
everything behind,
no fingerprints,
788
00:32:34,335 --> 00:32:37,376
that's when Bobby himself
also left the hotel.
789
00:32:39,251 --> 00:32:42,001
Imagine you have money,
you have it all gone,
790
00:32:42,126 --> 00:32:43,293
you're away from the facility,
791
00:32:43,418 --> 00:32:44,960
you're away
from The Pierre Hotel,
792
00:32:45,085 --> 00:32:46,960
but will you get away
with the robbery?
793
00:32:51,001 --> 00:32:52,876
At 6:30, the first employee
794
00:32:53,001 --> 00:32:55,335
stumbles across
the handcuffed hostages.
795
00:32:55,335 --> 00:32:57,251
Terrified,
he runs into the street
796
00:32:57,418 --> 00:32:59,126
and flags down
a police officer.
797
00:32:59,251 --> 00:33:01,835
In a matter of minutes,
The Pierre Hotel
798
00:33:01,835 --> 00:33:03,501
is swarming with cops
and G-men.
799
00:33:05,085 --> 00:33:06,960
When the cops come in
sweeping the place
800
00:33:07,085 --> 00:33:09,251
for physical evidence,
there's nothing.
801
00:33:09,418 --> 00:33:12,668
No pictures, no fingerprints.
802
00:33:12,793 --> 00:33:16,960
None of the hostages are
willing to describe the gunmen
803
00:33:17,085 --> 00:33:19,876
and are not helpful at all
with the police.
804
00:33:22,668 --> 00:33:24,501
Back at Sammy's hideout,
805
00:33:24,501 --> 00:33:28,210
the thieves have
a different focus: their loot.
806
00:33:28,335 --> 00:33:30,751
They get back
to the safe house,
807
00:33:30,876 --> 00:33:33,043
and they put out the jewels.
808
00:33:33,210 --> 00:33:37,001
And the feeling
is unbelievable.
809
00:33:37,126 --> 00:33:38,501
Look, I'm getting chills.
810
00:33:38,626 --> 00:33:39,501
I'm getting chills,
811
00:33:39,626 --> 00:33:41,918
'cause I remember
that feeling myself.
812
00:33:42,043 --> 00:33:48,001
It's amazing to see jewels on
a bed and know it's yours now.
813
00:33:48,126 --> 00:33:52,835
Bobby told me that
there was $887,000 in cash
814
00:33:52,960 --> 00:33:56,085
and close to $10 million
in jewels.
815
00:33:56,210 --> 00:33:59,501
$11 million in 1972
816
00:33:59,501 --> 00:34:03,751
is equivalent
to over $75 million
817
00:34:03,918 --> 00:34:05,001
in today's money.
818
00:34:06,876 --> 00:34:08,460
They have the cash.
They have the jewels.
819
00:34:08,585 --> 00:34:11,210
They split the cash up,
which is easy,
820
00:34:11,210 --> 00:34:12,918
and now they gotta think about
what they're gonna do
821
00:34:13,043 --> 00:34:14,376
with the diamonds and jewels.
822
00:34:14,543 --> 00:34:16,960
Bobby addresses the crew
after the heist
823
00:34:17,085 --> 00:34:19,376
and says the plan is
that City and Sammy
824
00:34:19,376 --> 00:34:21,210
are gonna hold on to the jewels
for one year.
825
00:34:21,335 --> 00:34:23,251
Everybody's gonna get your cut,
826
00:34:23,376 --> 00:34:24,793
but right now,
we've gotta lay low.
827
00:34:24,918 --> 00:34:27,001
We've gotta disperse.
828
00:34:27,126 --> 00:34:29,126
After the robbery,
this topic
829
00:34:29,251 --> 00:34:32,876
was in the newspaper headlines
on a daily basis.
830
00:34:33,001 --> 00:34:35,918
And the public had no sympathy
831
00:34:36,043 --> 00:34:37,835
for the guests
who were victimized
832
00:34:37,835 --> 00:34:39,210
because they were very wealthy.
833
00:34:39,335 --> 00:34:41,376
They were of high society.
834
00:34:41,376 --> 00:34:45,460
In fact, the public is actually
rooting for the robbers.
835
00:34:45,585 --> 00:34:47,001
In this case,
836
00:34:47,001 --> 00:34:48,543
there's an absence
of physical evidence.
837
00:34:48,710 --> 00:34:51,960
No fingerprints,
no tools left behind.
838
00:34:52,085 --> 00:34:53,876
So what does the PD do?
839
00:34:53,876 --> 00:34:55,210
They have to go to ground.
840
00:34:55,210 --> 00:34:57,501
They have to go to their
confidential informants.
841
00:34:57,501 --> 00:34:59,668
One of the things
they're relying upon
842
00:34:59,668 --> 00:35:02,543
is for someone in this crew
to slip up.
843
00:35:05,085 --> 00:35:06,835
Just three days
after the heist,
844
00:35:06,960 --> 00:35:09,043
Nalo, in desperation,
845
00:35:09,043 --> 00:35:11,793
calls Bobby and begs
to change the plan.
846
00:35:11,918 --> 00:35:14,376
He owes a lot of money
to the wrong people.
847
00:35:14,501 --> 00:35:16,335
Sammy's
a degenerate gambler.
848
00:35:16,460 --> 00:35:18,085
He's into the mob
for big money.
849
00:35:18,210 --> 00:35:21,543
He needs to sell these jewels.
850
00:35:21,668 --> 00:35:24,626
Sammy's problem is he doesn't
have a fence to go to.
851
00:35:24,751 --> 00:35:28,876
He doesn't have a go-to guy
to get rid of stolen goods.
852
00:35:29,043 --> 00:35:32,376
What Sammy does is he starts
going to different people
853
00:35:32,543 --> 00:35:34,210
to try to sell these diamonds.
854
00:35:34,376 --> 00:35:36,710
One is an FBI informant.
855
00:35:38,918 --> 00:35:41,960
Bobby agrees to Sammy's plan
to sell the jewels early,
856
00:35:42,085 --> 00:35:44,001
but he says everything's
been too recent.
857
00:35:44,001 --> 00:35:45,251
We can't show our faces.
858
00:35:45,376 --> 00:35:46,960
Bobby has a caveat.
859
00:35:47,085 --> 00:35:48,543
He goes,
"We gotta get a front man,"
860
00:35:48,668 --> 00:35:50,793
and he has a guy
that's gonna represent
861
00:35:50,918 --> 00:35:53,501
selling some of the heist.
862
00:35:53,501 --> 00:35:56,043
Bobby decides to hire
his friend Dom Paulino
863
00:35:56,168 --> 00:35:57,543
to be the front man to go meet
864
00:35:57,668 --> 00:35:59,543
with an independent
jewelry appraiser.
865
00:36:02,001 --> 00:36:04,710
Bobby Comfort
and Dom Paulino
866
00:36:04,710 --> 00:36:06,376
return to New York City,
867
00:36:06,376 --> 00:36:11,126
and they check in
to the Royal Manhattan Hotel.
868
00:36:11,251 --> 00:36:13,251
Sammy comes in
with a bag of diamonds
869
00:36:13,376 --> 00:36:15,001
worth over
a quarter of a million dollars
870
00:36:15,126 --> 00:36:17,085
for the sale.
871
00:36:17,210 --> 00:36:19,210
Comfort's loyalty
to his partner
872
00:36:19,335 --> 00:36:21,210
overrules his cautious nature,
873
00:36:21,335 --> 00:36:24,043
and he agrees to try
to move the diamonds.
874
00:36:24,043 --> 00:36:26,543
Nalo returns to his
apartment to wait
875
00:36:26,668 --> 00:36:28,543
while Bobby stays
at the hotel.
876
00:36:28,668 --> 00:36:32,043
Dom Paulino leaves
the hotel room
877
00:36:32,043 --> 00:36:34,376
and pays the hotel bill
878
00:36:34,376 --> 00:36:37,376
and keeps the receipt
in his pocket.
879
00:36:37,501 --> 00:36:40,585
He then takes a taxi across
town to the Summit Hotel
880
00:36:40,710 --> 00:36:44,210
where the buyer of the jewels
is waiting for him.
881
00:36:44,376 --> 00:36:46,043
It becomes very clear
882
00:36:46,168 --> 00:36:47,751
when they start working
through the sale
883
00:36:47,876 --> 00:36:50,376
that Dom is going
to have to haggle prices
884
00:36:50,376 --> 00:36:52,460
with the jewelry appraiser.
885
00:36:52,585 --> 00:36:56,251
Dom Paulino begins
to lay out Sammy's jewels
886
00:36:56,376 --> 00:36:59,210
out of his briefcase
onto a coffee table,
887
00:36:59,210 --> 00:37:02,001
and he's suddenly surrounded
by FBI agents.
888
00:37:03,710 --> 00:37:07,876
They frisk him,
and they find the bill
889
00:37:08,043 --> 00:37:12,085
from the Royal Manhattan Hotel
that he had just paid.
890
00:37:12,210 --> 00:37:14,085
So Bobby's sitting
at his room
891
00:37:14,210 --> 00:37:15,376
in the Royal Manhattan Hotel.
892
00:37:15,501 --> 00:37:17,376
He's awaiting Dom to return.
893
00:37:17,376 --> 00:37:19,210
He thinks this is gonna be
a quick and easy sale.
894
00:37:19,210 --> 00:37:21,043
He has no idea
what's going on until...
895
00:37:22,418 --> 00:37:23,835
Somebody is at the door.
896
00:37:29,668 --> 00:37:31,418
Five days after pulling off
897
00:37:31,585 --> 00:37:33,710
the largest hotel heist
in history,
898
00:37:33,710 --> 00:37:35,418
Bobby Comfort's
about to be caught
899
00:37:35,585 --> 00:37:39,126
by a simple mistake,
a hotel receipt
900
00:37:39,251 --> 00:37:43,085
that leads the cops
right to him.
901
00:37:43,210 --> 00:37:45,543
He hears a boom,
boom, boom, boom!
902
00:37:46,876 --> 00:37:48,043
They bust into his door.
903
00:37:48,043 --> 00:37:49,543
Bobby Comfort gets arrested.
904
00:37:49,710 --> 00:37:52,668
The NYPD and the FBI
are very anxious
905
00:37:52,668 --> 00:37:55,585
to announce that they now
have captured the four men
906
00:37:55,751 --> 00:37:58,210
responsible for
The Pierre Hotel heist.
907
00:37:59,918 --> 00:38:02,168
However, they actually
only have one.
908
00:38:02,168 --> 00:38:04,251
They have Bobby Comfort.
909
00:38:04,376 --> 00:38:06,543
Pierre Hotel heist,
it was perfect.
910
00:38:06,543 --> 00:38:09,126
No prints,
no physical evidence,
911
00:38:09,251 --> 00:38:11,960
no information,
except one thing.
912
00:38:12,085 --> 00:38:14,335
One guy got greedy.
913
00:38:14,460 --> 00:38:17,043
After Bobby Comfort's
arrest,
914
00:38:17,168 --> 00:38:21,210
an informant reveals to the FBI
915
00:38:21,335 --> 00:38:23,751
that Comfort has a partner
916
00:38:23,876 --> 00:38:28,126
whose name
is Sammy "the Arab" Nalo.
917
00:38:31,210 --> 00:38:33,751
They find out where he lives.
918
00:38:33,876 --> 00:38:36,376
And coincidentally,
when they pull up,
919
00:38:36,543 --> 00:38:39,043
Sammy Nalo is just exiting
the building.
920
00:38:39,168 --> 00:38:42,418
And he's carrying
a trash bag full of evidence,
921
00:38:42,585 --> 00:38:45,043
including a hammer
and a chisel.
922
00:38:45,043 --> 00:38:47,043
When the cops get hold
of Sammy,
923
00:38:47,168 --> 00:38:48,543
he denies everything.
924
00:38:48,543 --> 00:38:51,460
He is making every excuse
or denying everything.
925
00:38:51,585 --> 00:38:53,751
But when they look
into his apartment,
926
00:38:53,876 --> 00:38:55,376
they find a scale.
927
00:38:55,501 --> 00:38:58,210
They find loose settings
from rings.
928
00:38:58,335 --> 00:38:59,210
Think of that.
929
00:38:59,335 --> 00:39:01,168
Talk about a red flag.
930
00:39:01,168 --> 00:39:04,668
And they find
a packed suitcase.
931
00:39:04,793 --> 00:39:06,668
He's getting ready
to go on the lam.
932
00:39:06,668 --> 00:39:10,585
Sammy, who was charged
with the diamonds,
933
00:39:10,751 --> 00:39:13,460
was gonna hold some aside
and double cross everybody,
934
00:39:13,585 --> 00:39:15,501
and that's a low blow.
935
00:39:15,501 --> 00:39:19,501
When Bobby finds out
about the double cross
936
00:39:19,501 --> 00:39:21,210
and everything that happened
with the jewels,
937
00:39:21,335 --> 00:39:23,418
it ends their friendship completely.
938
00:39:23,585 --> 00:39:27,668
But neither Bobby nor Sammy
ever revealed
939
00:39:27,668 --> 00:39:32,501
the true names
of Country, City, and Doc.
940
00:39:32,501 --> 00:39:36,710
I guess there was still
honor among thieves.
941
00:39:36,710 --> 00:39:39,335
And I'm impressed.
I have to be impressed.
942
00:39:39,335 --> 00:39:40,918
They never ratted.
943
00:39:41,043 --> 00:39:43,126
But the interesting thing
about this robbery
944
00:39:43,251 --> 00:39:44,418
is that there's no eyewitnesses.
945
00:39:44,543 --> 00:39:46,210
The people that did see them
aren't talking.
946
00:39:46,210 --> 00:39:47,876
Everybody else had
their eyes taped shut.
947
00:39:48,043 --> 00:39:51,918
So the only thing that the FBI
and the NYPD can pin on them
948
00:39:52,043 --> 00:39:54,668
is second degree burglary.
949
00:39:54,793 --> 00:39:57,335
Bobby and Sammy still, though,
don't want to go to court.
950
00:39:57,335 --> 00:39:58,543
They don't wanna take
that chance,
951
00:39:58,668 --> 00:39:59,793
so they take the plea deal.
952
00:40:03,001 --> 00:40:05,335
Bobby originally gets
seven years,
953
00:40:05,335 --> 00:40:06,960
but he gets that knocked down
to four years,
954
00:40:07,085 --> 00:40:08,418
which is quite common.
955
00:40:08,585 --> 00:40:10,418
And then he ended up doing
2 1/2 years
956
00:40:10,543 --> 00:40:12,335
because, back in those days,
957
00:40:12,335 --> 00:40:13,876
you got what they called
good time
958
00:40:14,001 --> 00:40:15,710
or game time
in the prison system.
959
00:40:15,710 --> 00:40:19,585
And the reason that happened
is nobody got hurt.
960
00:40:19,751 --> 00:40:23,085
In this case, Bobby stole
maybe $10 million,
961
00:40:23,251 --> 00:40:24,876
took people hostage,
962
00:40:24,876 --> 00:40:27,126
and walks away
doing 2 1/2 years.
963
00:40:27,251 --> 00:40:28,293
I'll do that right now.
964
00:40:28,418 --> 00:40:29,585
Give me the 10 million.
965
00:40:29,710 --> 00:40:32,126
I'll go back to prison
for 2 1/2 years.
966
00:40:32,251 --> 00:40:33,918
After his release,
967
00:40:34,043 --> 00:40:36,585
is never arrested again.
968
00:40:36,710 --> 00:40:39,835
Sammy Nalo commits
more robberies
969
00:40:39,960 --> 00:40:42,710
while on parole, including one
in a jewelry store
970
00:40:42,835 --> 00:40:44,876
where he takes
17 people hostage.
971
00:40:45,043 --> 00:40:47,126
Sammy gets in a lot
of trouble with the mob.
972
00:40:47,251 --> 00:40:48,751
He's got a big
gambling problem.
973
00:40:48,876 --> 00:40:52,501
Gangsters actually tried
to kill him in 1974,
974
00:40:52,501 --> 00:40:54,376
but they don't succeed.
975
00:40:54,543 --> 00:40:58,168
But then on October 25, 1988,
976
00:40:58,293 --> 00:41:00,376
Sammy Nalo is shot and killed
977
00:41:00,543 --> 00:41:03,876
by members of
the Lucchese crime family.
978
00:41:04,001 --> 00:41:05,751
We don't really know apparently
979
00:41:05,876 --> 00:41:07,085
what happened
to all the jewels.
980
00:41:07,210 --> 00:41:08,710
It was assumed possibly
981
00:41:08,835 --> 00:41:11,501
that City made off
with a lot of the jewels.
982
00:41:11,501 --> 00:41:13,543
We don't really know.
983
00:41:13,668 --> 00:41:16,668
What we do know is that,
for a number of years
984
00:41:16,793 --> 00:41:18,418
after Bobby got out of prison,
985
00:41:18,543 --> 00:41:20,668
he lived very comfortably
986
00:41:20,668 --> 00:41:23,376
in a nice house
outside of Rochester.
987
00:41:23,543 --> 00:41:26,335
But he was a chronic smoker,
988
00:41:26,335 --> 00:41:29,293
and he died of lung cancer
at 53.
989
00:41:37,210 --> 00:41:39,085
Only $1 million in jewelry
990
00:41:39,251 --> 00:41:42,043
was ever recovered
from The Pierre Hotel robbery.
991
00:41:42,043 --> 00:41:46,043
What happened to the other
$9 million may never be known.
992
00:41:46,168 --> 00:41:49,668
Today, The Pierre remains
one of the most prestigious
993
00:41:49,793 --> 00:41:52,835
and expensive hotels
in New York City,
994
00:41:52,835 --> 00:41:55,376
and considering that the
Guinness Book of World Records
995
00:41:55,376 --> 00:41:57,418
still has it
as the most successful
996
00:41:57,585 --> 00:42:00,085
hotel robbery of all time,
997
00:42:00,251 --> 00:42:01,668
The Pierre Hotel belongs
998
00:42:01,668 --> 00:42:04,751
among history's
greatest heists.
75507
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