An ex-cop pulled off the largest armed robbery in Austria’s history, with his friend’s mistress as his accomplice. But he wasn’t trying to get rich. He wanted to be a real-life Robin Hood. By Matthew Wolfe

On December 22, 2013, former Austrian SWAT officer Gabriel E. and his accomplice, former security worker Tamara S., executed the largest armed robbery in Austrian history, stealing nearly three million euros from a Loomis armored van in Vienna. Unlike typical criminals, Gabriel was not motivated by personal greed; instead, driven by a psychological compulsion known as "helper syndrome" and profound culture shock after witnessing extreme poverty in Africa, he planned to use the stolen funds to build an orphanage called Blue Sky Village.

Within weeks, police tracked down Tamara, who confessed and implicated Gabriel, leading to both of their arrests. Despite arguing noble intentions, a judge rejected their defense, and both were sentenced to eight years in prison. Released on probation in 2018, both perpetrators have since returned to lower-stakes charitable acts and regular work, though Gabriel remains determined to eventually build his orphanage.