Norco '80 cover art

Norco '80

The True Story of the Most Spectacular Bank Robbery in American History

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Norco '80

By: Peter Houlahan
Narrated by: Joe Barrett
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About this listen

In the spirit of Killers of the Flower Moon and The Onion Field, Norco '80 is a gripping true crime account of one of the most violent bank heists in US history.

Norco '80 tells the story of how five heavily armed young men - led by an apocalyptic born-again Christian - attempted a bank robbery that turned into one of the most violent criminal events in US history, forever changing the face of American law enforcement. Part action thriller and part courtroom drama, Norco '80 transports the listener back to the Southern California of the 1970s, an era of predatory evangelical gurus, doomsday predictions, megachurches, and soaring crime rates, with the threat of nuclear obliteration looming over it all.

A group of landscapers transforms into a murderous gang of bank robbers armed to the teeth with military-grade weapons. Their desperate getaway turned the surrounding towns into war zones. When it was over, three were dead and close to 20 wounded; a police helicopter was forced down from the sky, and 32 police vehicles were destroyed by thousands of rounds of ammo. The resulting trial shook the community to the core, raising many issues that continue to face society today: from the epidemic of post-traumatic stress disorder within law enforcement to religious extremism and the militarization of local police forces.

©2019 Peter Houlahan (P)2019 HighBridge, a division of Recorded Books
Americas Crime Freedom & Security History Law Murder Politics & Government Social Sciences State & Local True Crime United States Robbery Banking Bank Robbery Nonfiction
All stars
Most relevant
This is quite an important read in terms of the history of policing and their ability to respond with appropriate force.

This book is actually very funny as the criminals are pretty bumbling even though their preparation with respect to weaponry was so over the top!

Great narration!

Perfect true crime tale

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