A 21-year-old history student in France committed a bank robbery and managed to evade capture for nearly 25 years before being apprehended. Hélène Castel, living in a Paris squat at the time, teamed up with six accomplices to carry out the heist on May 30, 1980. Disguised in wigs and sunglasses, they made away with money on mopeds.
After 20 years on the run, Castel was arrested in January 2006, just four days before the statute of limitations would have protected her from prosecution. Despite this, she was apprehended with evidence dating back to the 1980 crime, preventing her escape under the law.
Living in Mexico under the alias Florencia Rivera Martin, the now 66-year-old Castel worked as a psychotherapist until her arrest. Admitting her involvement in the bank robbery, she described it as a significant mistake in her life.
During the robbery, a man named Lionel Lemare was fatally shot by the police, leading to the arrest of Castel’s accomplices, with three receiving jail sentences. Castel, however, managed to flee on a moped, following advice to jump off and run given by the driver.
Despite considering surrendering over the years, Castel refrained due to her responsibility as a parent. She raised her daughter in exile, away from her past, until her arrest at the age of 46. Castel expressed surprise at her capture, as no efforts seemed to have been made to locate her.
Facing a potential 20-year prison sentence, Castel received a two-year suspended sentence for her role in the robbery. She reflected on the arrest as a turning point, acknowledging the need to confront her past and start anew in France.
