A daring daylight heist shook the small town of Kloeener, Minnesota, four miles north of New Ulm, as six brazen bandits struck the Kloeener State Bank at 3 a.m. on November 9, 1923.
The perpetrators, described as yeggmen, gained entry into the bank by forcing open the doors, before unleashing a trail of destruction with the aid of a high-powered acetylene torch. The torch was used to burn through the vault doors, allowing the robbers to access the safe and make off with approximately $1,500 in currency and silver, as well as $1,200 in Liberty bonds.
According to Sheriff William Julius of New Ulm, the bandits used four shots of high explosives to crack the safe, leaving the bank building in shambles. The blast was so powerful that it reduced the building to ruins, with part of the safe being blown clear across the street and through the front window of the Martin Schnobrick soft drink parlor.
Witnesses described the scene as ‘chaotic,’ with the Schnobrick family and a group of highway workmen who were boarding at the parlor being awoken by the explosions. The bandits, who were seen fleeing the scene, left behind a trail of destruction and a town in shock.
As the investigation into the daring heist continues, authorities are urging anyone with information to come forward. The case remains a mystery, with the identities of the perpetrators still unknown.
As the people of Kloeener struggle to come to terms with the brazen robbery, one thing is clear: the small town will never be the same. The Kloeener State Bank robbery of 1923 will go down in history as one of the most daring heists of its kind, leaving a trail of destruction and heartache in its wake.
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Key Facts
- State: MN
- Category: Violent Crime
- Era: Historical
- Source: Library of Congress — Chronicling America ↗
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