On October 4, 1997, David Ghantt, a vault supervisor for Loomis Fargo, was finishing his shift when he began loading $17 million into a company van. Ghantt resided in Kings Mountain at the time when he made the dash for cash, and soon headed to Mexico.
.Ghantt was joined by accomplices, coworker Kelly Campbell, as well as friends Steve and Michelle Chambers, in pulling off the heist.
Soon after, the Chambers moved from a trailer into a $635,000 mansion, which alerted the FBI to their newfound gains, marking the beginning of the end. Reportedly, the Chambers used cash to purchase a 1998 BMW Z3, and within a four-month timeframe from October 6 through February 20, made 47 deposits totaling $271,500, with Michelle Chambers allegedly attempting to obtain an official bank check with $200,000 in cash.
All good things come to an end, and federal agents found David Ghantt in Mexico while uncovering a plot to murder the man.
In all, seven others were convicted in direct connection with the heist, and another sixteen were indirectly involved and convicted.
The story inspired the 2016 movie Masterminds.
Written By: John G. Clark Jr.