On July 18, 1976, exactly 50 years ago today, one of the most audacious bank heists in French history took place at the Société Générale bank in Nice. The robbery, known as the 'heist of the century,' was carried out without any weapons, violence, or hatred, relying solely on meticulous planning and subterfuge.
The perpetrators, led by Albert Spaggiari, gained access to the bank's vault by digging a tunnel from the city's sewer system over several weekends. They spent two days inside the vault, drilling into 400 safe-deposit boxes and stealing an estimated 10 million francs (approximately €1.5 million at the time, or about €10 million today adjusted for inflation). The heist was discovered only when the bank reopened on Monday morning.
Spaggiari, a former paratrooper and photographer, became a folk hero in France for his non-violent approach and the elaborate nature of the crime. He was arrested but famously escaped from court by jumping out of a window during his trial in 1977, fleeing on a waiting motorcycle. He lived in hiding until his death in 1989.
The case remains one of the most famous unsolved heists in French criminal history, celebrated for its ingenuity and lack of violence. No one was ever convicted for the crime, and most of the stolen goods were never recovered.
