The Great Mars Hill Bank Robbery

The True Adventures of Maine's Zaniest Criminal

By: Ron Chase

Narrated by: Patrick Lawlor

On November 12, 1971, Bernard Patterson, a much-decorated Vietnam War hero, turned a real-life version of Don Quixote, Butch Cassidy, and Robin Hood all rolled into one package, robbed the Northern National Bank in Mars Hill, Maine. He escaped with $110,000; at the time, the largest bank robbery in the history of the state.

A tunnel rat and paratrooper in Vietnam who rose to the rank of sergeant, he was awarded four bronze stars and recommended for a silver star for valor. He returned home to Northern Maine broke and disillusioned. Wearing dark glasses, dressed in a Marx Brothers ankle-length coat and wearing a blue wig, he robbed the bank, even though he was recognized by the elderly teller. He initially escaped by paddling a rubber raft down the Prestile Stream.

This was the beginning of a comic, outrageous, implausible journey that took him across the United States, then to Europe and North Africa before finally surrendering to authorities in Scotland Yard after he had spent most of the money. Along the way, he lived a raucous life of wine and women while hobnobbing in aristocratic hangouts and giving money to those he perceived to be in need; all the time staying just a heartbeat ahead of law-enforcement officials.

©2016 Ronald D. Chase (P)2020 Tantor

good story but the narrator 🙄

while i love this story from a small town here in the county. just the next time over.
the narrator constantly saying "Banger"
instead of BANGOR emphasis on the OR. I mean i hear that everywhere when ever i meet someone not from maine they think we all talk like some down east fisherman. its either that or this narrator and everone else are a bunch of idiots the never learned English. i mean he can properly pronounce some small village in Vietnam but no the name of a city here in America? fyi for the narrator don't try to talk like your from somewhere because you think its funny or cool. just dont.

Enthralling story

This story is a tale of a character who seemed to generally live outside of societal ideals