ABOUT THIS EPISODE
The author and historian Don Levers discusses his recent book The (Almost Perfect) Heist: The Incredible True Story of the Vancouver Safety Deposit Robbery (Sutherland House, 2026), with Joseph Planta.
The (Almost Perfect) Heist: The Incredible True Story of the Vancouver Safety Deposit Robbery by Don Levers (Sutherland House, 2026).Click to buy this book from Amazon.ca: The (Almost Perfect) Heist
Text of the introduction by Joseph Planta:
I am Planta: On the Line, in Vancouver, British Columbia, at TheCommentary.ca.
Don Levers joins me now. He’s written a fascinating book, The (Almost Perfect) Heist: The Incredible True Story of the Vancouver Safety Deposit Robbery. In January 1977, the Vancouver Safety Deposit Vaults at 402 West Pender Street were robbed. Vancouver Police had some idea something was up, as back in September of 1976 they’d gotten a tip that some people from out of town were casing the joint. What Mr. Levers has done is chart, as best as he could, the culprits who nearly got away with it. But what they got away with makes for a fascinating book. We get a sense of the rap sheets of the five robbers who were arrested. We know they used a thermal lance to cut through the concrete and armoured steel to get access to the vault, and the safety deposit boxes that had millions of dollars of valuables; cash, precious metals, jewelry. And that they nearly got away with it, because it’s not until the next business day that the damage to the vaults was discovered. With an eye to detail, Don has also plotted the robbers escape, or attempt, with the precision of a novel. And after many years of thinking about the heist, Don has many questions yet. The perpetrators went on to other crimes, and because of their ages most have died. There might still be somebody out there who knows something. And thanks to this book, Don has added something to our history, especially since a lot of this though it made the news at the time, has largely been forgotten. Don Levers who was born in Vancouver, is the author of the bestselling children’s book Ogopogo: The Misunderstood Lake Monster, and the novel Loot for the Taking. He’s also written Our Fathers’ Footsteps: Stories of WWII Veterans What If Moments. This new book is published by Sutherland House. Visit www.donleversbooks.com for more. We spoke last week with Don joining me from Edmonton. Please welcome to the Planta: On the Line program, Don Levers; Mr. Levers, good morning.
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