Ronnie Biggs The most talented robber of the twentieth century Date of Birth: 08.08.1929 Country: Great Britain

Biography of Ronnie Biggs

Ronald Arthur Biggs, an English criminal, was known for his involvement in the infamous Great Train Robbery of 1963, one of the most notorious crimes of the 20th century. Born on August 8, 1929, in Stockwell, Lambeth, London, Biggs was evacuated to Flitwick, Bedfordshire, during World War II, and later to Cornwall.

In 1947, at the age of 18, Biggs joined the British Royal Air Force, but was expelled two years later due to desertion and robbery of a local shop. Shortly after, Ronald was arrested for car theft and sent to prison. After his release, Biggs participated in an unsuccessful robbery of a bookmaker's office in London. Returning to prison, he met another famous British inmate, Bruce Reynolds. Upon release, Biggs attempted to turn his life around by training as a carpenter and marrying Charmian Powell, the daughter of a school director, in February 1960. The couple had three sons together.

However, Biggs faced financial difficulties and needed money to make a deposit for a house for his family. He then met an old railway worker known as "Stan Agate," "Old Pete," or "Pop," who proposed the idea of a robbery. Bruce Reynolds also became involved in the plan. The robbery took place on Biggs' 34th birthday, but things quickly went awry when it was revealed that Stan had no prior experience with that type of train. After assaulting the train's actual driver, Jack Mills, the gang forced him to drive the train to a nearby bridge. Biggs' main task was to transport Stan, but when their uselessness became apparent, Ronald and Stan went to wait for the unloading of the train in a van. Within the allotted time, the gang managed to load 120 out of 128 mailbags before fleeing to their hideout.

Biggs received £147,000 out of the £2.6 million stolen. However, his enjoyment of the spoils was short-lived. The gang had planned to burn down their hideout farm, but the task was botched, and the police found enough evidence, such as a ketchup bottle with Biggs' fingerprints, to link him to the crime. Three weeks later, Ronald was arrested in South London along with 11 other gang members. In 1964, Biggs and nine other members of the gang were sentenced to 30 years in prison. However, Biggs only spent 15 months behind bars before escaping by scaling the prison wall with a rope ladder. Waiting for him outside was a van, and he later traveled to Brussels and reunited with his wife in Paris. There, he obtained new documents and underwent plastic surgery.

During this time, Charmian had an affair and became pregnant, but ultimately chose her husband and had an abortion. In 1966, Biggs moved to Sydney and settled in Glenelg, Adelaide, South Australia. Although he enjoyed his new life, most of the stolen money had been spent on his surgery and relocation. Ronald soon learned that the police and Interpol were on his trail. Eventually, he fled to Brazil, where he divorced Charmian. By the time Biggs arrived in Rio de Janeiro, there was no extradition treaty between Britain and Brazil. However, the Brazilian authorities were willing to cooperate, but Biggs had already started a relationship with a local dancer, Raimunda de Castro, who was pregnant with his child.

Biggs' criminal status complicated his life in Brazil, as he couldn't work, visit bars, or be outside his home after 10 pm. To make a living, his family organized barbecues in Rio, attracting tourists who wanted to meet the legendary criminal and listen to his stories about the robbery. Biggs remained popular despite playing a relatively minor role in the crime. In April 1981, a group of British individuals attempted to kidnap Biggs to claim a reward from the police, but he was saved by the coast guard.

In 1997, an extradition agreement was finally reached between Britain and Brazil. Two months later, the British authorities officially requested Biggs' extradition. Around the same time, Biggs announced that he would no longer resist being returned to Britain. However, the request was denied by the Brazilian government, granting Biggs the right to live in the country for the rest of his days. In 2001, Biggs expressed his desire to return to Britain and was arrested upon his arrival on May 7, 2001. He was sentenced to serve 28 years in prison, but immediately began writing appeals for release due to his failing health.

Although Biggs did suffer from health problems, he was released on August 6, 2009, after serving a third of his sentence. His condition improved while he was free, although he still required hospital visits. On December 18, 2013, at the age of 84, Biggs passed away in a nursing home, just hours before the premiere of a BBC series about his famous robbery.