David Ghantt: The Loomis Fargo Heist and Escape
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Quick Facts
David Ghantt's low wage: spark for Loomis Fargo heist
On a cool October evening in 1997, the armored [Internal Link Placeholder] company Loomis Fargo in Charlotte, [Internal Link Placeholder], became the scene of one of the largest cash robberies in U.S. history, orchestrated as an inside job by David Scott Ghantt, a man deeply burdened by financial desperation. Ghantt, a 28-year-old vault supervisor at Loomis Fargo & Co., worked up to 80 hours a week for just $8.15 an hour – a wage that ignited a dangerous spark of desperation and a plan to commit the audacious Loomis Fargo [Internal Link Placeholder]. Together with a former colleague and a petty criminal friend, he planned to empty the company's main vault of millions of dollars in cash.
Campbell and Chambers: plan for robbery and escape forms
The daily frustration over a wage that barely covered expenses for David Scott Ghantt and his wife grew steadily. During breaks, he shared dark thoughts with his colleague Kelly Campbell. Their talk of “taking what they deserved” evolved into a concrete heist plan when Campbell introduced Ghantt to her high school friend, Steve Chambers, a man with a past that included being an [Internal Link Placeholder] informant. Chambers recognized the potential in Ghantt's access to large cash reserves and hatched a simple yet daring plan: Ghantt would empty the vault on a Saturday night, fill a company van with the stolen [Internal Link Placeholder], and drive it to a meeting point where Chambers' network would take over and handle the [Internal Link Placeholder], while Ghantt disappeared to [Internal Link Placeholder].
October 4th heist: $17.3M stolen, cameras overlooked
On the night of October 4, 1997, the planned [Internal Link Placeholder] was set in motion. Ghantt locked himself into the company's main vault at 4800 Brookshire Boulevard in Charlotte, which normally held between $40 and $50 million. [Internal Link Placeholder] tapes show him patiently loading bundles of cash into a Loomis Fargo van for over an hour. When he was finished, he had stolen an impressive $17.3 million. But the heist was far from flawless. During the collection, Ghantt forgot to disable all [Internal Link Placeholder], leaving clear clues for [Internal Link Placeholder] investigators. A further challenge arose during the actual transfer of the vast amount of cash; the volume of small bills had been grossly underestimated. At the agreed meeting point, they could only carry away $14 million, having to leave $3.3 million in the van – a crucial detail that would later point the investigation in the right direction.
Cozumel to Catawba: isolation and hitman plot revealed
Ghantt's [Internal Link Placeholder] led him to [Internal Link Placeholder], where, with only $50,000 in seed [Internal Link Placeholder] and limited Spanish skills, he settled in Cozumel and tried to live under the radar. However, the plan to receive further money transfers from Chambers quickly fell apart. Steve Chambers and his wife Michelle, on the other hand, displayed a conspicuous lack of discretion back in [Internal Link Placeholder]. Chambers moved from his trailer to a $635,000 mansion in Catawba County and spent money on luxury cars and designer jackets. Michelle Chambers made large cash deposits at the bank, dismissing questions with the remark, “It's not drug money.” This sudden and unexplained [Internal Link Placeholder] naturally aroused suspicion. A bank employee alerted the [Internal Link Placeholder], who quickly put a wiretap on Chambers' phone. This revealed not only the blatant spending but also a shocking plan to hire a hitman, Michael McKinney, to eliminate Ghantt in Mexico to avoid future complications and potential testimony.
FBI CHARLOOT: Ghantt's capture, few restitutions paid
The [Internal Link Placeholder]'s investigation, dubbed Operation CHARLOOT, proved highly effective. David Ghantt was tracked and arrested on March 1, 1998, on a fishing [Internal Link Placeholder] off the Yucatán Peninsula, marking his capture. The following day, authorities moved against Steve and Michelle Chambers and their network in [Internal Link Placeholder]. The case resulted in 24 individuals being convicted for their involvement in this extensive financial crime, including a lawyer who had assisted in laundering the stolen [Internal Link Placeholder]. Although 88% of the stolen money was [Internal Link Placeholder], restitution for the lost funds has been slow; by 2022, only about 5% of the $19 million in restitution had been repaid.
Aftermath: prison for Ghantt, heist inspired 'Masterminds'
David Ghantt received a 7½-year prison sentence for his role and later stated that he felt trapped by circumstances and deeply regretted the harm he had caused. Steve Chambers received an 11-year sentence and forfeited his newly acquired luxury villa, while Kelly Campbell was sentenced to almost 6 years in prison following the extensive legal proceedings. The Loomis Fargo [Internal Link Placeholder], which later inspired the comedy [Internal Link Placeholder] *Masterminds*, stands as a [Internal Link Placeholder] and a tragicomic example of how desperation and poor choices can lead to absurd consequences. The case highlighted not only a serious security flaw at a major Loomis Fargo cash vault but also the human dimension of frustration over low pay and the dream of a better life – a dream that, for David Scott Ghantt and the many others involved in the Loomis Fargo robbery, ended in a chaotic crime and prison sentences.
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Susanne Sperling
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