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OverviewPHIL CRESTA WAS NO run-of-the-mill thief. Mastermind of the legendary Brink's armored truck robbery and a string of countless other high-stakes heists, he stole more than ten million dollars in escapades that often were breathtakingly daring and at times marvelously inventive. The robberies baffled both police and fellow outlaws for decades, and most of the crimes remain unsolved today. Now the open case files of these memorable thefts can be closed as Cresta himself provides the true story on how they were planned and carried out. Born in Boston's North End in 1928, Cresta was raised in an abusive household. He was sent to Concord Reformatory as a teenager, where he learned the craft of picking locks, a skill later honed during stays at the Charlestown and Walpole prisons in Massachusetts. Following the Brink's robbery in 1969, he was put on the FBI's Ten Most Wanted List, but eluded the law for five years, living in Chicago under an assumed name. After serving time at Walpole for the Brink's job, Cresta died penniless in Chicago in 1955. Yet shortly before his death, he revealed the full extent of his astonishing capers to coauthor Bill Crowley, a retired Boston police detective. Drawing from their extensive conversations, this riveting page-tumer chronicles how Cresta, along with partners Angelo and Tony, pulled off robberies of jewelers, rare coin dealers, furriers, and armored trucks, detailing the meticulous planning that marked his criminal career and made him a master at outwitting police. Cresta's final accounting is brimming with vivid tales of betrayal, murder, and intrigue as well as a colorful cast of characters, including mob bosses, wise guys, informants, paid ears, corrupt judges, a Hollywood starlet, and even the Mayor of Chicago. Filled with drama, tension, and humor, this absorbing saga takes the reader inside the dangerous yet exhilarating world of a life dedicated to crime. Full Product DetailsAuthor: Gilbert Geis , Brian P. Wallace , Bill Crowley , Dennis LehanePublisher: University Press of New England Imprint: Northeastern University Press Dimensions: Width: 15.20cm , Height: 2.70cm , Length: 22.90cm Weight: 0.544kg ISBN: 9781555534493ISBN 10: 155553449 Pages: 192 Publication Date: 27 October 2000 Audience: General/trade , College/higher education , Professional and scholarly , General , Undergraduate Format: Hardback Publisher's Status: Out of Print Availability: In Print  Limited stock is available. It will be ordered for you and shipped pending supplier's limited stock. Table of ContentsReviewsAn affectionate look at a true craftsman of crime, one who cared as much for his friends as he did for the rush he'd get whenever he opened the back of a stolen armored car. . . . It's the details of the Cresta story that give Final Confession its charm--because Wallace and Crowley make plain that Cresta's wild run lasted not because of the fear he engendered on the street but because of his painstaking dedication to craft. . . . Final Confession also charms because of the eye that [the authors] have for the humorous moments that flecked an otherwise grim and unforgiving life. --Michael Rezendes, Boston Globe Author InformationBRIAN P. WALLACE is a television sports announcer and author of Brian's Beat, a column syndicated to numerous Boston area newspapers. He lives in South Boston. BILL CROWLEY is a retired Boston police detective. He lives in Everett, Massachusetts. DENNIS LEHANE is a mystery writer whose works focus on Boston's underbelly. Among his many books are Prayers for Rain; Gone, Baby, Gone, Darkness, Take My Hand; and A Drink Before the War. GILBERT GEIS is Professor Emeritus in the Department of Criminology, Law and Society at the University of California, Irvine. Tab Content 6Author Website:Countries AvailableAll regions |
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