Money Heist – Netflix Series
Money Heist, also known as La Casa De Papel in its native Spanish, has taken the world by storm since it first premiered on Netflix in 2017. The show, which tells the story of a group of criminals who plan and execute a daring heist on the Royal Mint of Spain, has become one of the most popular shows on the streaming platform. But did you know that the show is based on real-life crimes? In this article, we’ll take a closer look at the true events that inspired Money Heist and how they compare to the fictionalized version of events portrayed on the show.
The Bank of Spain Heist
One of the most obvious real-life inspirations for Money Heist is the Bank of Spain heist that took place in Valencia in 2016. In this robbery, a gang of thieves dug a 25-meter tunnel to gain access to the bank’s vaults. They then used blowtorches to break into safety deposit boxes and made off with an estimated 2.6 million euros. Like in Money Heist, the robbers in the Bank of Spain heist wore masks and used code names, and the operation was meticulously planned and executed.
The Royal Mint of Spain Heist
The central plot of Money Heist revolves around a daring heist on the Royal Mint of Spain, where a group of criminals print their own money and try to escape before the police can catch them. While the events of the show are fictionalized, there have been several real-life attempts to rob the Royal Mint of Spain over the years. One of the most notable attempts took place in 1956 when a group of anarchists attempted to steal money and printing plates from the mint. The robbery was ultimately foiled by police, but it remains part of Spanish criminal folklore to this day.
The Spaghetti House Siege
Another real-life event that inspired Money Heist is the Spaghetti House siege that took place in London in 1975. In this incident, a group of armed robbers took hostages in a restaurant and demanded a ransom of £20,000. The police eventually stormed the restaurant, but not before one of the hostages had been killed. Like in Money Heist, the robbers in the Spaghetti House siege wore masks and used code names, and the incident was widely covered by the media.
The Great Train Robbery
The Great Train Robbery is one of the most infamous heists in British history, and it is widely believed to have inspired many fictional depictions of heists in popular culture. The robbery took place in 1963 when a gang of robbers stopped a mail train and made off with over £2.6 million in cash. The robbers were eventually caught and sentenced to lengthy prison terms, but the audacity of the robbery captured the public imagination and has been immortalized in books, films, and TV shows, including Money Heist.
The Stockholm Syndrome
One of the key themes of Money Heist is Stockholm Syndrome, which refers to a psychological phenomenon where hostages develop positive feelings towards their captors. This phenomenon was first identified in 1973, when a group of bank robbers took hostages in a bank in Stockholm, Sweden. The hostages developed feelings of empathy and even affection towards their captors, and some of them even defended the robbers after they were apprehended by police. The Stockholm Syndrome has since become a widely studied and debated topic in psychology.
Conclusion
Money Heist may be a work of fiction, but it is clear that the show’s creators drew inspiration from real-life crimes and events. From the Bank of Spain heist to the Spaghetti House siege.
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