The Brink’s Robbery That Turned Into a Deadly Manhunt

October 20, 1981. What began as a carefully planned armored truck robbery outside a shopping center in Rockland County, New York quickly became one of the most infamous crimes in American history.

Armed members of the Black Liberation Army and Weather Underground ambushed a Brink’s armored truck, stealing $1.6 million in cash. Within minutes, the robbery erupted into deadly gunfire that left a Brink’s guard dead and sparked a violent confrontation with police. By the end of the day, two Nyack police officers had also been killed, launching one of the largest manhunts in FBI history.

In this episode of Unlawful Acts, Connie and Jocelyn break down the planning, execution, investigation, arrests, and lasting impact of the Brink’s Robbery—a crime that blurred the lines between political extremism, terrorism, and organized robbery.

What really happened that day? Who was behind the attack? And how did this case reshape law enforcement's approach to domestic extremist groups?

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