Inside the Vault

by Amil Dinsio

Millions of dollars sat in a small, non-descript bank perched on a hill in the quiet town of Laguna Niguel in Orange County. But deep within its vaults was a millions of dollars in illegally obtained funds belonging to none other than President Richard Nixon. Those stolen funds would not remain Nixon's for long. Over the weekend of March 24, 1972, a crew of bank burglars from Youngstown, Ohio orchestrated a burglary of the vault, which would eventually result in a score of over twelve million dollars - the biggest bank vault burglary in U.S. history. This book tells the remarkable true story of that burglary, written by the real-life mastermind who planned Amil Dinsio, one of the most successful and prolific bank robbers and burglars of the 1960s and 70s. Dinsio reveals not only the technical details on how the crime was committed, but also how the perfect burglary was undone by the FBI's dirty tricks.

171 pages, Kindle Edition

First published February 6, 2014

Reviews

[Sara the Book Slayer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fascinating novel about bank robbers from the Youngstown, Ohio area. They did heists all over the country before being caught robbing a bank that had President Nixon’s money in it. They also robbed a bank branch that I worked at a few times (many years before I worked there). Their unique way of robbing banks is very interesting to learn about. Great read, can’t wait to watch the movie- The Real Steve McQueen.

[Jenny · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book provides fascinating insight, from a very reliable source, into the bank robbery of President Richard Nixon. Prior to reading this book, I never even knew about this bank robbery (and my dad, an amateur history buff, didn't know anything about it either), so this book definitely opened my eyes to a piece of history I never even knew occurred.

The story is written by Amil Dinsio and is from his perspective. Him and his brother were the real brains behind the bank robbery (and other bank robberies) and this book provides an interesting, first hand account of what really happened during the bank robbery and the events that led to them being caught.

Inside the Vault is a fascinating story. I was glued to the pages as the author described exactly how they went about robbing banks, even some banks that were seemingly very secure. This is a very riveting story, with real-life action that will have your heart racing and keep you eagerly reading, awaiting what will happen next. Along with being a riveting read, this book is also an incredibly informative non-fiction account of the bank robberies. I felt that I learned a lot about the art of robbing banks, but also, that I learned a lot about a certain aspect of modern history that isn't as talked about in school- modern bank robberies.

The writing in this book is pleasant to read. The author does a good job of keeping the story flowing and making sure that the reader doesn't find themselves confused about a sequence of events. Dinsio also does a really good job of explaining technical aspects of the break in, such as the electrical currents of the alarm system, in a way that any reader will be able to understand and follow. Another aspect of Dinsio's writing that I found pleasant were his descriptions of the bank and the areas around the bank. It was easy to get a visual in my head of the way the bank looked because of the depth in which Dinsio describes the scenery.

In the end I thought that this book was an extremely interesting read. Prior to reading this book I'd had no idea that President Richard Nixon had money stolen, while in office, due to some professional bank robbers. This book taught me a lot about the event and also managed to keep the read thrilling and engaging. I would definitely recommend this book to anyone interested in obscure historical events or anyone interested in reading about bank robberies.

I received this book for review purposes via NetGalley.

[Sharon Calicdan · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was more interesting to me than it may be to others. Mr Dinsio is from the place where I grew up. I moved to CA in the early 90s. Ironically I now live less than 5 miles from the Monarch Bay Plaza. I could vividly picture all of the events his stories. Quick read. You won't find this in your history books.

[W.B. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved the book. The things they did are just amazing to me. You have to read it yourself, you’ll be amazed too!!!

[Trina · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a fascinating true story of bank heists, the mob, corruption in the justice system and government! Who was the bigger crook….the bank burglars or the FBI/justice system?

[Nick DeHaven · Rating 5 out of 5]

Written like a gangster

[Lyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

WOW!
What an interesting book. Amazing stories about a life lived on a different path. Mr. Dinsio admits to being a burglar but at the same time his love of family leads you down the path to thinking what a nice guy! Well written and captivating. Loyalty shines through for family. I was sad when the book ended because I felt like the conversation could have continued for a few more hours. Enjoy! NetGalley and I Love You Brother, LLC provided an advanced review copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!

[Allyson Krist · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting at first but didn't really grip me. Yes he did these robberies. and it was awesome stuff,,but I expected a MUCH stronger ending. But WOW what a story!!

Ok, interesting, but I expected a MUCH stronger ending,was kind of let down by it. An alright read I guess.,