The 1831 City Bank of New York Robbery

Sometime between when First Teller Lancaster S Burling locked up the vault in the City Bank of New York on Saturday, March 19, 1831 and when he opened the bank on Monday, someone entered the vault and stole the astounding sum of $240,000. It was not, as some newspapers at the time asserted, the first bank robbery in the United States. But it was the first large bank robbery in New York City.

This is original content based on research by The History Guy. Images in the Public Domain are carefully selected and provide illustration. As very few images of the actual event are available in the Public Domain, images of similar objects and events are used for illustration.

You can purchase the bow tie worn in this episode at The Tie Bar:

All events are portrayed in historical context and for educational purposes. No images or content are primarily intended to shock and disgust. Those who do not learn from history are doomed to repeat it. Non censuram.

Find The History Guy at:

Please send suggestions for future episodes: Suggestions@TheHistoryGuy.net

The History Guy: History Deserves to Be Remembered is the place to find short snippets of forgotten history from five to fifteen minutes long. If you like history too, this is the channel for you.

Subscribe for more forgotten history

Awesome The History Guy merchandise is available at:

Script by THG

#ushistory #thehistoryguy #Bankrobbery