Galvan, an American bank robber, crossed the border into Canada in 1984, setting the stage for a crime wave that would ripple across the entire nation. His criminal odyssey saw him hit banks in every Canadian province except Prince Edward Island and Newfoundland
In the annals of Canadian crime, few tales captivate the imagination quite like that of Gilbert William Galvan Jr., better known as the Flying Bandit or the Phantom Bandit.
For three relentless years, Galvan orchestrated a breathtaking spree of bank and jewellery store robberies that left a nation both bewildered and fascinated. His audacious exploits, chronicled in the 1996 true crime book ‘The Flying Bandit’ by Robert Knuckle and Ed Arnold, have recently been immortalised on the silver screen in the 2022 film ‘Bandit.’
Galvan, an American bank robber, crossed the border into Canada in 1984, setting the stage for a crime wave that would ripple across the entire nation. His criminal odyssey saw him hit banks in every Canadian province except Prince Edward Island and Newfoundland. From his modest beginnings, pocketing a mere $600 in his inaugural heist, to the staggering haul of $1.2 million in jewellery, Galvan’s nefarious exploits would amass a total of $251,333 in cash and over $2 million in stolen jewellery. His crime spree finally came to an end in 1988 when he pleaded guilty to 59 armed robberies and 17 related charges, earning him a 20-year prison sentence.
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Galvan’s criminal genius lay not only in his brazen acts but also in the audacious modus operandi he adopted. Donning clever disguises and brandishing a weapon (though he never fired a shot during any of his robberies), he perfected the art of passing discreet notes to bank tellers, making off with his ill-gotten gains before anyone could react.
What set Galvan apart, however, was his mastery of the skies. The Flying Bandit earned his moniker by exploiting the aviation system to evade law enforcement. Galvan chartered planes to reach main terminals, where he seamlessly transferred to Air Canada flights. This tactic allowed him to skirt security checks, ensuring that his luggage, laden with the tools of his trade, reached its destination undisturbed. It was a criminal innovation that would make even the most seasoned detective scratch their head in disbelief.
Galvan’s audacity knew no bounds, and in some of his more intricate heists, he enlisted the help of an accomplice. Together, they orchestrated meticulously planned raids on jewellery stores, leaving behind a trail of baffled authorities and awestruck onlookers.
To this day, Gilbert Galvan Jr. remains a legend in the realm of Canadian crime. His record for the most consecutive robberies in the country’s history stands as a testament to the notion that reality often outstrips fiction. The Flying Bandit’s saga serves as a gripping reminder that, in the world of crime, some stories are so outlandish that they can only be true.
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