Andre Stander was without a doubt the most notorious bank robber in South African history, but his story has received very little attention in the media.
There have been numerous conspiracy theories as to why this is, with some claiming that it is because he was white, while others feel that Stander’s story has been pushed down the history books because he was a cop who took advantage of a legal technicality. Others think it has something to do with his surname and father, who was a Major General.
Whatever the cause, it’s not worth hiding the story of a white South African police officer who intimidated banks between 1977 and 1980 while keeping his job as a cop and investigating his own robberies.
Andre Stander was born into a law-abiding family and was the son of Major General Frans Stander, a well-known prison official in South Africa. He wanted his son to follow in his footsteps, so he assisted him in joining the military.
According to records, Andre had no desire to engage in law enforcement and only became a cop as a result of his father’s pressure.
Apartheid was at its height in South Africa at the time, and Andre, like other white South Africans, enjoyed the benefits of being white. His father’s influence helped him ascend through the ranks, but he led a wild life that was a shame to the uniform.
Available records state that:
“One fine morning in 1977, he handed out assignments to his squad and headed to the airport in Johannesburg during lunch break.”
“He flew to Durban, put on a false wig and beard, walked into a bank and pulled a gun on the cashier, but very discreetly, handed her a bag and asked her to fill it up with cash.”
“She did as she was asked. Andre did not threaten anyone else in the bank nor did he brag about having a gun. No one else realized what had happened. He quietly walked out, drove back to the airport and flew to Johannesburg post lunch and carried on with policing.”
Between 1977 and 1980, Andre Stander made roughly R100,000 before being jailed in January 1980 for robbing a bank in Durban.
He was sentenced to 75 years in jail after being found guilty of 15 charges of robbery. But, because he was facing many counts at the same time, he was sentenced to 17 years in Zonderwater Maximum Security Prison.
Andre Stander became friends with Allan Heyl and Patrick McCall, two other inmates who were also bank robbers, while in prison.
The trio devised a plot to break out of prison, and it was successful.
“In 1983, Andre and Patrick complained of back pains and were sent to a physiotherapist. While at the clinic, they overpowered a few guards and escaped in the doctor’s car and a couple of months later they went back to the same prison to break Heyl out. The three buds holed up in a safe house in Houghton.”
It’s still a mystery how this was all made possible. After being set free, the three bank robbers went right back to work, robbing more than 20 banks in less than two months and making off with almost R500,000 in cash.
They became known as the Stander Gang as a result of their celebrity, and it was fame, money, and girls that led to their end.
Their images were soon published in every newspaper, causing them to flee South Africa. Andre headed to Florida to finalize plans, while Heyl and McCall planned to cruise there in a newly purchased yacht.
One of the prostitutes who had previously spent the night with them recognized their photos in the media and alerted the cops. McCall refused to leave the hideout despite Heyl’s flight. When the cops arrived, he ended up killing himself.
By February 1984, the South African government had issued international warrants, which led to Heyl’s apprehension in the United Kingdom in 1985, where he continued robbing banks before being brought back to South Africa to finish his term. He was released from prison in 2005 and has since worked as a motivational speaker.
Before Heyl was arrested, Andre Stander was in the United States. He was arrested one night while riding his bicycle back to his hideout; during a scuffle, he attempted to reach for the police officer’s pistol and was shot. Before the cops arrived, he had bled to death.
Moondyne Joe: The story of Australia's most notorious prison escapee
A man named Joseph Bolitho Johns (A.K.A Moondyne Joe) broke out of Australian prisons so many times that the police were compelled to build a special cell just for him. He escaped from that as well.
Recipient of suicide victim's heart kills himself 12 years later
In 1995, Sonny Graham received a transplanted heart from a suicide victim. He then committed suicide in the very same manner as the donor.
Blanche Monnier: Imprisoned For 25 Years For Falling in Love
Blanche Monnier, she was a French woman noted for her beauty, she wished to marry an old lawyer that her mother disapproved of, so she locked her in a small dark room in her attic for 25 years.
The youngest person executed, George Stinney Jr was proven innocent
In 1944, George Stinney Jr. was 14 years old when he was executed in South Carolina. It took only ten minutes to convict him — and 70 years to exonerate him.
A man faked his death in 2016 after his Mexican wife plotted to kill him by paying a hitman $2,000
In 2016, a guy faked his death after his Mexican wife plotted to murder him by hiring a hitman $2,000. He cooperated with the FBI to create fake murder images, which landed his wife in jail for 20 years.
Story of Dennis Lynn Rader, the BTK Killer
Dennis Lynn Rader is an American serial killer known as BTK who worked for a home security company and installed systems in the homes of numerous citizens who were concerned about the murders he himself had committed.
In 2018, a 30-year-old survived a close-range gunshot thanks to silicone implant
In 2018, a 30-year-old woman from Toronto, Canada survived a close-range gunshot thanks to her silicone breast implant. Doctors believe that the implant deflected the bullet away from her vital organs, and her only injury was a fractured rib.
The Unsolved mystery of Bobby Dunbar's Disappearance
In 1912, a four-year-old boy named Bobby Dunbar went missing on a family trip, 8 months later he was found and reunited with his family. Nearly a century later, DNA testing of his descendants revealed that the child reunited with the Dunbar family was not Bobby, but rather a boy named Charles (Bruce) Anderson who resembled Bobby.
The story of Nike's famous tagline "Just do it"
Nike’s inspiration for their slogan “Just do it.” came from a man who was about to get executed, and his final words to the firing squad was “let’s do it!”
Man who robbed bank to get away from wife sentenced to home confinement
In 2017, a 70-year-old man robbed a Kansas City bank, then sat down in the lobby waiting for the Police to arrive stating he’d rather live in jail than with his wife. He was arrested but rather than thrown in a cell he was sentenced to 6 months of home confinement.
Albert Spaggiari: The Man Who Stole 45m Francs And Was Never Caught
In 1976, French gangster Albert Spaggiari was arrested after his gang stole 100 million francs worth of valuables from a bank. At his trial, he distracted the judge then jumped out of a window and fled on a motorcycle set up for him. He was never caught and died a free man.
A woman accidentally tipped $7,723 for coffee and some cake and never get the money back
In 2018, a woman accidentally paid $7732 for a cup of coffee and a cake at a Swiss café after accidentally entering her PIN code as a tip. She never received a refund.
Chilling Story Behind the Amber Hagerman’s Murder And The AMBER alert system
Amber Hagerman is the reason we have the Amber alert or a child abduction emergency alert system. As of April 2019, 957 children rescued specifically because of AMBER Alert. To this day, the Amber behind Amber alert is still waiting for justice.
'Super obedient' lookout parrot trained by Brazilian drug dealers is seized by police
In 2019, police in Brazil seized a 'super obedient' lookout parrot trained by drug dealers. According to reports, the bird had been taught to alert criminals to police operations by shouting: "Mum, the police!" As soon as the police got close, he started shouting.
Albert Einstein’s brain after it was stolen from his body
Albert Einstein's brain was taken by the opportunistic pathologist who performed his autopsy hours after he died and kept in two jars for 30 years. The stolen brain of Albert Einstein was preserved in a cookie jar for 30 years until being discovered by a journalist.
Woman found guilty of murdering her husband after a parrot repeated the victim's 'last words'
In 2017, a woman named Glenna Duram shot her husband five times before attempting suicide. Soon after, the couple’s pet African Grey parrot, the only witness to the crime, started repeating the words “don’t f*****g shoot!” It is thought to have been the pair’s last exchange. Duram survived and was found guilty of first-degree murder.
Susan Kuhnhausen Killed the Hitman Sent to Kill Her
Susan Kuhnhausen's ex-husband hired a hitman to assassinate her. Susan "made a decision to live" in that terrifying moment.
Man dressed up as his dead mother to keep home, benefits
A 51-year-old man in Brooklyn named Thomas Parkin dressed up as his dead mother Irene for six long years since 2013 and collected her social security checks. He did other real estate frauds too that totaled up to $115,000.
A woman finds her ex-boyfriend living in her attic 12 years after they broke up
Most people have heard of "things that go bump in the night," but for one South Carolina lady, that "thing" was her ex-boyfriend, whom she discovered living in her attic more than 12 years after they broke up.
Scientists separated triplets at birth for a controversial experiment and had no idea what they were doing
As part of an experiment, a set of triplets was intentionally separated at birth and given to three sets of parents from different socioeconomic backgrounds. It was discovered in 1980, when two of the triplets attended the same college.
The Birth of Stockholm Syndrome: The 1973 Bank Robbery That Changed Psychology
In 1973, a botched bank robbery in Stockholm, Sweden, led to a six-day hostage crisis, where captives began defending their captors—giving rise to Stockholm Syndrome. Strangely, one hostage later befriended a robber, and another raised money for their legal defense, baffling psychologists and law enforcement alike!
How a Pizza Delivery Saved a Hostage in 2015
A pizza delivery once helped end a hostage situation! In 2015, a pizza order placed by a woman being held hostage included a hidden message for help. The pizzeria staff alerted the police, leading to her rescue..!
The 1978 Lufthansa Heist: Unraveling the Mystery of America's Most Infamous Airport Robbery
During the 1978 Lufthansa heist, robbers infiltrated JFK Airport, restraining employees and holding a night guard hostage. They escaped with $5.9 million—worth over $27 million today. The crime, linked to the Lucchese crime family, remained unsolved for decades, with most suspects vanishing
Chinese Couple Sell Their Three Children to Play Video Games
A young Chinese couple has sold all their three children in exchange for money to play online games at internet cafes.
The Horrific story of Ariel Castro and the Cleveland abduction
Cleveland abduction victims Gina DeJesus, Michelle Knight, and Amanda Berry were forced to live in Ariel Castro's house of horrors for 10 years. He raped and beat them until they escaped in 2013.
