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Heist: The Oddball Crew Behind the $17 Million Loomis Fargo Theft
The inspiration behind the major motion picture Masterminds starring Zach Galifianakis, Owen Wilson, Kristen Wiig, and Jason Sudeikis!
The bizarre true story of the criminals behind the second-largest bank heist in American history.
One night in a small North Carolina town, a down-on-his-luck guard at Loomis Fargo manages to steal $17 million—literally more than one ton of cash. Despite being caught on camera wheeling the money from the vault to the getaway van, David Ghantt makes off to Mexico before the FBI can blink.
There's just one Ghantt has entrusted the money to an oddball crew of accomplices who had wooed him into committing this massive theft in the first place—and who, he soon learns, are trying to take him out. Now one of the most wanted men in America with the FBI hot on his heels, Ghantt must figure out how to get his money, get away from a hit man, and get even.
In this outrageously entertaining book, Jeff Diamant, the Charlotte Observer's lead reporter on the case, offers the definitive inside account of this astonishing
true story that has captivated American audiences on the news and now on the big screen in the major motion picture, Masterminds.
The bizarre true story of the criminals behind the second-largest bank heist in American history.
One night in a small North Carolina town, a down-on-his-luck guard at Loomis Fargo manages to steal $17 million—literally more than one ton of cash. Despite being caught on camera wheeling the money from the vault to the getaway van, David Ghantt makes off to Mexico before the FBI can blink.
There's just one Ghantt has entrusted the money to an oddball crew of accomplices who had wooed him into committing this massive theft in the first place—and who, he soon learns, are trying to take him out. Now one of the most wanted men in America with the FBI hot on his heels, Ghantt must figure out how to get his money, get away from a hit man, and get even.
In this outrageously entertaining book, Jeff Diamant, the Charlotte Observer's lead reporter on the case, offers the definitive inside account of this astonishing
true story that has captivated American audiences on the news and now on the big screen in the major motion picture, Masterminds.
273 pages, Kindle Edition
First published September 1, 2002
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 108 reviews
February 12, 2016
If you've interacted with me much, you'll know by now that I absolutely love heists.
So how could I resist a book called "Heist"?
The opening is promising enough. We are introduced to the aforementioned "oddball crew," which consists of a thief, a grifter, a hitter, a brain, and...
Oh, wait.
That's Leverage.
As it turns out, Heist isn't so much about the heist as it is about the aftermath. The heist itself is dirt simple: an employee goes in at night, pulls out the money, hands it off to his conspirators, and heads off to Mexico. What happens next involves a hitman, a cigar store Indian, a lot of M&Ms, and a Velvet Elvis. The book is not so much about the heist as it is about the insane and idiotic things the conspirators tried to do with the money. To take only one example, one of the women goes to a bank, asks about the max she can deposit without having it reported to the federal government, and then adds cheerfully to the teller, "Don't worry, it's not drug money."
While it is funny, I also found it distasteful, and it took me a while to pin down why. For one thing, I don't generally like reading recent histories; I like my nonfiction to involve people who are not only dead but whose bones are basically dust at this point. Second, this story and the way it is presented is simply a reinforcement of all the negative stereotypes people have of "hillbillies." The theft itself appears to have had devastating effects on the community, and not only because of the families with members in prison. Because of the theft and its aftermath, the whole area became a laughingstock for the rest of the US. It bothers me that the story extracted from the theft is one of hollow mockery.
Alright, all that over, I'm going back to watching Leverage, where the heists are clever, the humour is more upbeat, and the endings are happy.
So how could I resist a book called "Heist"?
The opening is promising enough. We are introduced to the aforementioned "oddball crew," which consists of a thief, a grifter, a hitter, a brain, and...
Oh, wait.
That's Leverage.
As it turns out, Heist isn't so much about the heist as it is about the aftermath. The heist itself is dirt simple: an employee goes in at night, pulls out the money, hands it off to his conspirators, and heads off to Mexico. What happens next involves a hitman, a cigar store Indian, a lot of M&Ms, and a Velvet Elvis. The book is not so much about the heist as it is about the insane and idiotic things the conspirators tried to do with the money. To take only one example, one of the women goes to a bank, asks about the max she can deposit without having it reported to the federal government, and then adds cheerfully to the teller, "Don't worry, it's not drug money."
While it is funny, I also found it distasteful, and it took me a while to pin down why. For one thing, I don't generally like reading recent histories; I like my nonfiction to involve people who are not only dead but whose bones are basically dust at this point. Second, this story and the way it is presented is simply a reinforcement of all the negative stereotypes people have of "hillbillies." The theft itself appears to have had devastating effects on the community, and not only because of the families with members in prison. Because of the theft and its aftermath, the whole area became a laughingstock for the rest of the US. It bothers me that the story extracted from the theft is one of hollow mockery.
Alright, all that over, I'm going back to watching Leverage, where the heists are clever, the humour is more upbeat, and the endings are happy.
May 20, 2016
Book: Heist
Author: Jeff Diamant
Finished Reading: May 15, 2015 (Friday)
Book Review:
*First of all, I would like to thank Sourcebooks Landmark for the review copy in exchange for an honest review*
{This review is not biased}
BEGINNING
MIDDLE
END
4 things that I've said while reading this.
1. "Oh, good start! :)"
2. "WHAT THE? I'm so confused. :("
3. "Okay, I'm starting to understand it again."
4. "It's good that I made it to the end. I feel so MEH :( I thought that this was amazing. Unfortunately, it's not what I expected."
Okay. This book had a great start, seriously. I don't know what happened. Maybe it just got too detailed or something. There are some points where this book got really interesting. There are also some points that this book got too boring. I got so confused that I wasn't able to connect with the characters.
I'm pretty sure that if you're a crime book lover, you would love this book. It just didn't get into my nerves. I'm sorry.
This book is going to be published in August 2015 by Sourcebooks Landmark.
Author: Jeff Diamant
Finished Reading: May 15, 2015 (Friday)
Book Review:
*First of all, I would like to thank Sourcebooks Landmark for the review copy in exchange for an honest review*
{This review is not biased}
BEGINNING
MIDDLE
END
4 things that I've said while reading this.
1. "Oh, good start! :)"
2. "WHAT THE? I'm so confused. :("
3. "Okay, I'm starting to understand it again."
4. "It's good that I made it to the end. I feel so MEH :( I thought that this was amazing. Unfortunately, it's not what I expected."
Okay. This book had a great start, seriously. I don't know what happened. Maybe it just got too detailed or something. There are some points where this book got really interesting. There are also some points that this book got too boring. I got so confused that I wasn't able to connect with the characters.
I'm pretty sure that if you're a crime book lover, you would love this book. It just didn't get into my nerves. I'm sorry.
This book is going to be published in August 2015 by Sourcebooks Landmark.
February 5, 2021
You'd think that in order to pull off a $17 million bank heist, you'd need to assemble a crack team of criminal masterminds. You'd be thinking wrong. Astounding amounts of bungling and stupidity seem to be the order of the day in this bizarre yet entertaining true crime tale - if you're in need of experiencing a bit of schadenfreude, this is just the thing to read.
October 6, 2015
Just a runaway read from start to finish, no ramping up, no winding down - we start with the heist and end with sentencing, and everything in between is a hilarious tale of intensely ballsy or stupid people, or people who exemplify both of these qualities. Complete with fake breasts, excessive spending, velvet Elvises, weed, Mexican vacationing, hit men and a carnival trial, I had a great time with this book. I gather a movie's on the way - not sure if that will actually be as good as straight reporting.
The prize moron: At one point in the narrative, there is a person who needs to ask a relative if there's anything shady about accepting 100k to move a couple of mil to the Cayman Islands. If dipstick's uncle hadn't gone to the FBI right after, a very important source of evidence might never have been revealed. So, note to all thieves collecting a crew? IQ tests.
The prize moron: At one point in the narrative, there is a person who needs to ask a relative if there's anything shady about accepting 100k to move a couple of mil to the Cayman Islands. If dipstick's uncle hadn't gone to the FBI right after, a very important source of evidence might never have been revealed. So, note to all thieves collecting a crew? IQ tests.
August 13, 2017
Okay, it's a true story, and the heist gang was a little wacky and mostly dumb. But not a lot wacky or dumb. And having read crime fiction for decades, it doesn't stand up to claims that truth is stranger than fiction. It seemed kinda ordinary. The writing itself was oddly detached. A lot of true crime reads like fiction, where you get into the characters heads. This was a just-the-facts-please approach, with odd little details serving to flesh things out, sort of. The audiobook performer delivers a wooden performance without differentiating the characters. Of course, that may have something to do with the source material he had to work with. Overall, kind of interesting. Good thing it was short.
December 11, 2017
Really fun account of the events leading up to and following the theft of $17.3 million in cash from the Charlotte, North Carolina, regional office vault of Loomis, Fargo & Co. on October 4, 1997.
The action and the characters read like an Elmore Leonard novel, but no fiction writer would conceive of crooks this dumb.
The action and the characters read like an Elmore Leonard novel, but no fiction writer would conceive of crooks this dumb.
November 15, 2018
Who doesn't love a good heist story? And this one is riddled with pathos, absurdity, foolishness, and antics that make one shake their head. A rollicking fast read through the heist, the investigation, and the trials.
Naturally, the tale is too absurd to not be optioned. Masterminds is "inspired by" this story. Brilliantly cast, but omfg, the book (the whole true complicated story) is WAY better!
Naturally, the tale is too absurd to not be optioned. Masterminds is "inspired by" this story. Brilliantly cast, but omfg, the book (the whole true complicated story) is WAY better!
November 9, 2023
Heist!? More like the life of the dumbest people ever after committing a lame heist!
That being said it’s still written well, but not interesting to me
That being said it’s still written well, but not interesting to me
August 23, 2023
I really enjoyed this, I had zero expectations going in, but I was amply rewarded.
It’s written simply, but with a real narrative drive that sucked me in quickly.
There’s humour in here too, these weren’t the brightest crooks in the world, but that makes the whole story more engaging.
There’s little violence or action to drive the story on, instead it’s the characters and their poor decisions that provide that.
It’s written simply, but with a real narrative drive that sucked me in quickly.
There’s humour in here too, these weren’t the brightest crooks in the world, but that makes the whole story more engaging.
There’s little violence or action to drive the story on, instead it’s the characters and their poor decisions that provide that.
July 25, 2016
In 1997, the Loomis Fargo armored service company was robbed of $17 million – at the time, the second largest robbery in US History. The theft was carried out by David Ghantt (a low-level Loomis employee), and abetted by a woman Ghantt had a crush on and several small potatoes crook friends of hers. This all occurred in rural North Carolina, and because most of those involved lived in trailers (and because of their many post-heist missteps), the local papers called this the Hillbilly Heist. Diamant does everything asked of good non-fiction authors: provide lots of detail, fully flesh out all relevant characters, and draw out the human drama. Diamant provides us the motivation behind the heist, how it was carried out, and the months following as the perpetrators sought to avoid the law, up to the eventual arrest. And throughout, he does this through characters who we grow to either root for or detest. Ghantt, in particular, was notably well presented. We get a glimpse of his life struggles, as well as his crush on a colleague despite his already being married. Only unlike Ghantt, as outsiders we also get to see the crush’s perspective – she didn’t have the same feelings for Ghantt and was only using him for the robbery, which makes it crushing to see it all play out. Overall, an engaging read. Recommended.
June 27, 2016
The real-life Loomis Fargo heist netted some $17 million in cash. This book covers the crazy cast of characters, their bumbling yet successful plot, and the unraveling of their getaway. The facts are laid out in a straightforward chronological format and the story reads like a traditional newspaper article. The book's downside is the lack of a strong emotional hook. The narrative stays in an unwavering and static neutral gear. The amazing elements of this story get lost in the even delivery.
July 9, 2016
I've watched the investigative reports on this crime for years but this book spelled out all of the bizarre details of this case. Can't wait for the movie! This is a perfect example where truth is stranger than fiction!!
September 26, 2015
A little dry in spots, but interesting book!
September 26, 2020
“But with the idea on the table, several dark realities converged on him. He hated his job and his bosses, he’d lost hope in his marriage, he wasn’t going to advance at his job, and he couldn’t afford to quit to enroll in college. He realized his life wouldn’t improve unless he did something drastic.”
As inept as they were, it’s hard not to sympathize with the trailer park gang of North Carolina ne'er-do-wells who pulled off the $17 million Loomis Fargo heist. The theft – one of the largest in U.S. history – was as audacious as it was straightforward – wait for everyone else to go home, then enter the vault of the local Loomis Fargo armored car company branch, take all the money, load a literal ton(!) of cash into a van, and drive away. Then just don’t anything stupid.
Part one of the plan, check.
Part two of the plan, not so much.
Jeff Diamant’s The Heist is a ‘dumb criminals’ tale of epic proportions that rollicks its way from grand larceny to an FBI Mexico manhunt to murder plotting by a wannabee mini-mob boss to shyster attorneys to the clear value of not drawing attention to yourself by oh … buying yourself a new house, new cars, a new Rolex, a new diamond ring, and new boobies .. after you’ve just ripped off millions in greenbacks! Like an old-school gumshoe, Diamant catches up to all the major players – from the night of the theft to their eventual capture and trial – leaving no loose ends and providing a thoroughly and eminently entertaining ‘true crime’ tale.
And while Diamant gets the facts out, what ultimately makes this one really fun is how far Diamant gets inside the heads of the perpetrators. There are certainly some bad apples here (i.e. Steve & Mike), but for the most part, the rest of the crooks come off as … if not entirely loveable … then as at least relatable. Afterall, I’ve driven by some pretty squalid rural neighborhoods and it’s not hard to empathize with the bleak look of life from inside a run-down trailer, especially as your solidly middle-class upbringing slips from low-middle to middle-low class. It’s not quite Robin Hood, but who can’t help but chuckle when some poor schlub and his drinking buddies manage to stick it to ‘pressed suit’ corporate America and their damnable friends in insurance?
So Jeff Diamant’s The Heist gets a solid four stars. Maybe you can call these folks ‘pretty stupid’ but the truth is, they had some pretty big brass balls. They took their shot, and sure, maybe it didn’t work out in the end, but they had a lot more nerve than I could ever muster.
August 19, 2018
Captivating true story
I am a sucker for a good mystery book, and the angle of this one particularly intrigued me. It was one of those times when I vaguely remember reading the cover, but had forgotten most of it once i started. It was when I got 20-30 pushed in that it dawned on me: "this is a true story!" From that point on, I was hooked! I am amazed that the author got so much information about the crime because it truly felt like I was inside the thieve's minds. I fully enjoyed the glimpse into the processes of the FBI, as well! I definitely recommend this book of your into crime stories our just psychology, human-interest stuff in general.
I am a sucker for a good mystery book, and the angle of this one particularly intrigued me. It was one of those times when I vaguely remember reading the cover, but had forgotten most of it once i started. It was when I got 20-30 pushed in that it dawned on me: "this is a true story!" From that point on, I was hooked! I am amazed that the author got so much information about the crime because it truly felt like I was inside the thieve's minds. I fully enjoyed the glimpse into the processes of the FBI, as well! I definitely recommend this book of your into crime stories our just psychology, human-interest stuff in general.
April 9, 2018
Decided to read this book after starting the Masterminds movie (haven’t finished it yet!)
This was a fun and fast read with background and details around the $17mil heist in 1997. I think the author did a good job of telling the story without making fun or belittling the individuals involved (even when it would have been pretty easy to turn them into comedic characters). However, a lot of the decisions these people made really were pretty ridiculous which means it still ends up being a funny read at times.
This was a fun and fast read with background and details around the $17mil heist in 1997. I think the author did a good job of telling the story without making fun or belittling the individuals involved (even when it would have been pretty easy to turn them into comedic characters). However, a lot of the decisions these people made really were pretty ridiculous which means it still ends up being a funny read at times.
September 24, 2020
Lightweight reading but solid storytelling. The cast of nonfiction characters is indeed “odd,” not to mention almost lovably incompetent. I can see how this was adapted into a comedy starring the likes of Zach Galifianskis and Kate McKinnon, though I’m glad the author took a more measured approach. While a number of the criminals act with selfishness and cruelty toward friends and family members, their double-wide houses and dead-end jobs almost made them sympathetic characters, or at least added some important perspective. I’d bump my rating up to 3 and a half stars if that were possible.
February 18, 2022
This was entertaining enough - I mean, who doesn't love a good heist - with a colorful cast of characters. And while they genuinely did behave in a variety of extraordinarily stupid ways that led the FBI right to their doorsteps, I couldn't help but feel the tone occasionally veered a bit too close to "let's all laugh at these unrefined, poorly educated, poor and working-class people with lowbrow tastes for how dumb they're being because they don't know any better" and that didn't quite sit right with me
May 28, 2024
3.5, rounded up.
I appreciated that this was a super easy read without a lot of speculation (thanks, thieves, for spilling the tea on your stupidity!). I finished The Gardner Heist right before this and still had art theft on the brain, so I was convinced for a minute that their plan wasn’t terrible. And it actually wasn’t the worst idea. They got away with it for a minute.
But. They were pretty dumb and one, in particular, extraordinarily greedy. It was never going to end well, but this quick read broke everything down and made me reconsider my potential life as a criminal. Doesn’t appear to be worth it, so I’ll keep the 9-5.
I appreciated that this was a super easy read without a lot of speculation (thanks, thieves, for spilling the tea on your stupidity!). I finished The Gardner Heist right before this and still had art theft on the brain, so I was convinced for a minute that their plan wasn’t terrible. And it actually wasn’t the worst idea. They got away with it for a minute.
But. They were pretty dumb and one, in particular, extraordinarily greedy. It was never going to end well, but this quick read broke everything down and made me reconsider my potential life as a criminal. Doesn’t appear to be worth it, so I’ll keep the 9-5.
October 14, 2024
This book is entertaining and insightful. I would not go so far as to “outrageously” entertaining though. Diamant was masterful at telling the story in a chronological order intertwining many different stories together. It lacked specific character development, which made it challenging to keep all the players in the heist memorable. I would recommend reading this as opposed to listening to it for that reason. I hope the movie is good as I’d love to see it. Overall, a nice easy read for fans of true crime stories.
March 6, 2019
A quick, entertaining true crime read. If you enjoy true crime and are looking for something a bit lighter, this is the one. A roster of crazy characters and well written narrative made Heist a fun break from the usual, heavier true crime stories that are out there. I wasn't aware that a film was made from this story, so will have to check it out. True crime fan or not, this one was worth the read!
December 7, 2019
I searched this one out after seeing the movie Masterminds which was based on the Loomis Fargo Heist covered in this book. As suspected the real story is much more interesting and engaging than the movie.
It is written by a journalist which gives the book a very straight forward style. In addition to the planning and execution of the crime the book gives great insight in to how law enforcement and the federal government investigates and prosecutes crimes.
It is written by a journalist which gives the book a very straight forward style. In addition to the planning and execution of the crime the book gives great insight in to how law enforcement and the federal government investigates and prosecutes crimes.
March 25, 2020
I saw the film on a plane and, whilst enjoyable, the book is far better.
This is the story of a truly outrageous robbery of extraordinary proportions. The only thing larger that the haul seems to have been the team’s ability for stupidity in the aftermath.
Instantly engaging, this is fast-paced entertainment with some mind-bogglingly dumb criminals and some determined and dogged detective work.
A cracking story which could have been fictional – except for the fact that it is true.
This is the story of a truly outrageous robbery of extraordinary proportions. The only thing larger that the haul seems to have been the team’s ability for stupidity in the aftermath.
Instantly engaging, this is fast-paced entertainment with some mind-bogglingly dumb criminals and some determined and dogged detective work.
A cracking story which could have been fictional – except for the fact that it is true.
January 1, 2022
Unlikely tale of amateur crooks bungling their way to an extraordinary $17M haul from a Loomis Fargo heist and their even more amateurish efforts at avoiding detection.
One feels slightly sorry for David Ghantt who is something of a pawn in all this, being manipulated by an ex-co-worker with whom he appeared infatuated, and who is subsequently the target of a Co-conspirator’s murder plot.
A good guide for anyone contemplating turning over a security company on how not to do it!
One feels slightly sorry for David Ghantt who is something of a pawn in all this, being manipulated by an ex-co-worker with whom he appeared infatuated, and who is subsequently the target of a Co-conspirator’s murder plot.
A good guide for anyone contemplating turning over a security company on how not to do it!
January 25, 2024
This is a short, concise story of the 1997 Loomis Fargo Heist. At the time, the 2nd largest in history and also executed by a bunch of idiots who probably could have gotten away with it. This is not a long, detailed book that starts at the beginning. It is more of the aftermath and how they all got caught by making stupid decisions which led to the movie, Masterminds. This can be devoted in a single sitting or a long car drive at only 5 hours long.
May 31, 2017
The crazy web of characters and choices involved in this heist is fascinating. Diamant's rich descriptions gives the reader insight into each major player's motivations and processes. The book also details the difficulty of hiding several million dollars once you're in possession of it, and the various ways these folks attempted to do so.
February 19, 2018
Amusing book about dumb criminals who managed to pull off one of the biggest "heists" in history. But they didn't really pull it off as they were all caught. The movie based on the book was fairly bad but tried to capture the idiocy of the culprits. Easy read about simpletons who did an inside job robbing their workplace.
April 27, 2018
This was a well-written and unintentionally hilarious book. I'll admit, I did see the movie (Masterminds) first, so I had some hints as to what happened (the movie is loosely based on the book) but it was still a great read. Jeff Diamant provides an unbiased description of a rag-tag bunch of criminals, and once it's all over, you can totally understand why things unrolled the way they did.
November 6, 2018
I bought this book after watching the movie 'Masterminds'. I was curious about how much of the movie was fictionalized, believing that it had to be at least 75% made up.
Boy, was I wrong! A lot of the unbelievable parts of the movie were actually true!
I enjoyed the book, although it was a bit wordy in parts, especially when it got to the trial with Steve's lawyer.
Boy, was I wrong! A lot of the unbelievable parts of the movie were actually true!
I enjoyed the book, although it was a bit wordy in parts, especially when it got to the trial with Steve's lawyer.
February 8, 2019
Fun, quick read! It's indeed true, I kind of feel bad for David after hearing the complete story. I honestly view the whole heist as a love story gone wrong (which gets even worse when David's wife sticks by him!)
I did thoroughly enjoy it though. Had never heard of the heist before, nor seen the movie, but I may just have to see it now!
I did thoroughly enjoy it though. Had never heard of the heist before, nor seen the movie, but I may just have to see it now!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 108 reviews