All four, now 22, children of privilege, products of elite lexington high schools, are. Victim of 2004 transy book heist talking for the first time. An auction for the most valuable illustrated book in the world and a featurelength crime caper both have interesting ties. The true story of the worlds biggest cash robbery by sounes, howard isbn.
We talk to the college kidsturnedcriminals responsible for historys most inept art theft. When they saw the women, the two costumed men turned around and. American animals, written and directed by bart layton, is an electrified retelling of the transy book heist, parttrue crime drama and partparable about the unique sense of invulnerability. This heist movie mixes boldness and buffoonery as it follows four college students who stole priceless books from transylvania university. After spencer is given a tour of transylvania university librarys rare book. The aha moment came when reinhard toured the transy librarys special.
The librarian who was stunned and tied up is now talking for the first time to our partners at the. Dec 01, 2007 the investigation of the transy book heist came to an explosive end on the morning of february 11, 2005, as a swat unit broke down the front door of the yellow bungalow with a battering ram. Jun 12, 2018 what do john audubon and a million dollar heist have to do with kentucky. A few more appeals and theyll spend the rest of their lives in jail. Gooch said recently from the rare books room where she still works. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders. An auction for the most valuable illustrated book in the world and a featurelength. Jun 01, 2018 american animals uses documentary techniques to tell story of kentucky book heist npr critic bob. True story behind american animals reallife tale of how. New film american animals main tells the true story of a 2004 heist by four. Then theres reinhard, who is now an acclaimed artist. Librarian speaks for 1st time about heist movie, her ordeal ap news. That notorious moment in transy s history is now portrayed in a new movie american animals, which makes it clear how central gooch was to the whole story the heist, the trial, the prison time, the magazine pieces, the books, and now, finally the film. Apr 04, 20 chas allens nonfiction true story account of his involvement with the transylvania book heist is the tellall true story that answers the questions everyone has been asking.
Librarian speaks for 1st time about heist movie, her ordeal. In american animals, the four are shown arriving at the transy u library in full oldman drag, looking at once ridiculous, almost beastie boysesque, and totally out of their depth. What do john audubon and a million dollar heist have to do with kentucky. They carried with them zip ties, a cheap stun pen with which to zap betty jane gooch, and bedsheets in which to wrap the manuscripts. Transy book heist more songs about buildings and food. A movie about the transy book heist as the robbery came to be known is coming out june 1, but how accurate is american animals compared to the. Jun 14, 2018 she was the victim of one of lexingtons most notorious crimes, the transylvania book heist.
Four college students attempted rare book heist after. Sep 07, 2018 the nailbiting true story of the teens who dressed up as oaps and tasered a librarian to carry out a. May 29, 2018 a movie about the transy book heist as the robbery came to be known is coming out june 1, but how accurate is american animals compared to the true crime. My name is chas allen, when i was 19 i was involved in the transylvania book heist which was famously listed among the f. Jun 10, 2018 evan peters in american animals the orchard american animals could change how we tell true crime stories salon talks to evan peters about the process of filming reenactments of the insane. Transylvania university is committed to ensuring that the institution is free of harassment and discrimination on the basis of race, color, citizenship status, sex, age, disability, pregnancy, creed, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, marital status, national or ethnic origin, religion or religious belief or veterans. Jan 22, 2018 this is the second time the story of the transylvania book heist has been told in long form. Jan 28, 2018 evan peters promotes american animals. Evan peters in american animals the orchard american animals could change how we tell true crime stories salon talks to evan peters about the process of. They supposedly based their plan partially from repeat viewings of hollywood heist flicks, but if that wasnt meta enough, the movie also. May 29, 2018 american animals, directed by bart layton, tells the story behind the socalled transy book heist mostly through reenactments. Some of our collection is cataloged in the transylvania library catalog. The investigation of the transy book heist came to an explosive end on the morning of february 11, 2005, as a swat unit broke down the front door of the yellow bungalow with a.
Secret scandals in lexington, kentucky mariapienkowski. Jun 01, 2018 american animals, written and directed by bart layton, is an electrified retelling of the transy book heist, parttrue crime drama and partparable about the unique sense of invulnerability. American animals, directed by bart layton, tells the story behind the socalled transy book heist mostly through reenactments. The inside story of the transylvania book heist, written by allen, now 25 and incarcerated at the federal medical center in lexington. May 30, 2018 lexington will have to wait to see american animals movie about transy book heist may 30, 2018 10. Having decided which books to target, they sent an email to christies in new york under a false name, claiming they wished to sell some books worth millions. The robbery is now the basis of the film american animals, which is set for release this week. And now, years after they pleaded guilty and were sentenced to matching sevenyear. Four college students attempted rare book heist after watching caper. Keoghan starred in dunkirk and killing of a sacred deer. But on december 17, 2004, the rare book room served as the setting for its own story when it became the target of four college students trying to pull off what is now known as the transy book heist. It offers 36 major programs, as well as dualdegree engineering programs, and is accredited by the southern association of colleges and schools. The new film american animals is not your typical heist movie.
Gooch before making off with several books in what would later be known as the transy book heist. It is based on a real life library heist at transylvania university in lexington. Jun 12, 2019 some of our collection is cataloged in the transylvania library catalog. This article on the transylvania university rarebook robbery, by reporter sarah vos, originally ran in the lexington heraldleader on sunday, feb. Transy students who stole rare books to face more prison time. Transylvania book heist depicted in new movie american. Sprinkled throughout are interviews with the reallife robbers. American animals is inspired by this botched art heist. Apr 11, 2018 the official trailer for the new movie american animals just released today, depicting the dramatization of the infamous transylvania book heist that took place 14 years ago. They staked out the library in between classes, and reinhard, a talented artist see the poster he designed for the film below, even drew a mock blueprint of the rare book room, where the heist.
We also recommend searching the kentucky digital library where our 19th century medical theses collection, the doris ulmann and the bullock collections of photographs are available, as well as the collections of many other special collections and archives in kentucky. Mr pink the inside story of the transylvania book heist. The inside story of the transylvania book heist was able to grasp what happened with full detail and, even though many may be skeptical there are still citizens of the lexington community that see him and this incident in a new light. Pink was written and released in 2010 by allen, who wrote under the name chas. Head nurse at brooklyn hospital tells how she went from treating patients to becoming one herself and was successfully treated with plasma infusions. American animals could change how we tell true crime. American animals is a heist movie based on the true story of four students from kentuckys transylvania university who attempt to pilfer rare books from their school dubbed the transy book heist. American animals cast and director on working with real.
Warren lipka, spencer reinhard, eric borsuk, and charles chas allen, were college students one at transy student, three at uk. Inspired by hollywood heist thrillers and a desperate urge to escape their mundane suburban lives, they. They are about fantastical beings as in the story of hunor and magor, twin hunters who come to earth like two falling stars, obsessed by the behind of a magical white hind. What do john audubon and a million dollar heist have to do. Now, the four are among the industrys most indemand actors. Twisted tales from transylvania, a hilarious tweaking of folk tales from the hungarian oral tradition, will make you laugh out loud on every page. The three men and woman were denied bail when they appeared before magistrate debby. The official trailer for the new movie american animals just released today, depicting the dramatization of the infamous transylvania book heist that took place 14 years ago. New movie revisits the transy book heist hamburg journal. Check out the true story based on the transy book heist the american horror story star is set to star in this truecrime thriller by ck whittle january 28, 2018, 8. And in the end, they had to drop the audubon books in a stairwell and.
Jun 07, 2018 now i know the horror they are living. My name is chas allen, when i was 19 i was involved in the. The robbery is now the basis of the film american animals, which is set for release. The investigation of the transy book heist came to an explosive end on the morning of february 11, 2005, as a swat unit broke down the front door of the yellow bungalow with a battering ram.
Transylvania university book robbers on megyn kelly today on. This article on the transylvania university rarebook robbery. Among the prisoners are three of the four unlikely masterminds behind the transy book heist. What could lead four college students to a life of crime and how they were able to pull off a multimillion dollar book heist. On february 11, 2005, a swat raided the house where they were living and found the boys, the books and a fivepage typed plan for the heist, an. You cant just drop in on the farris rare book room at transylvania university. But for all those heist thrillers they watched, they seemed to ignore. The nailbiting true story of the teens who dressed up as.
The untold story of the transy book heist is one part oceans 11, one part harold. As the only member of the transylvania book heist to previously decline all interviews, chas allen finally reveals why he remained silent for so long. Who let the bats out twisted tales from transylvania. The reallife heist caper behind american animals vulture. Jun 01, 2018 once inside the rare books room, they tased and tied up gooch before making off with several books in what would later be known as the transy book heist. The four men convicted in the 2004 transylvania university book robbery, now portrayed in the movie american animals. American animals uses documentary techniques to tell story of kentucky book heist npr critic bob. Once inside the rare books room, they tased and tied up gooch before making off with several books in what would later be known as the transy book heist. They take you in the special collections and show you these books. It is based on a real life library heist at transylvania university in lexington, kentucky in 2004. This bizarrely foolish rare book heist took place in december of 2004, after almost a year of. American animals revisits transy book heist ace weekly. Lexington will have to wait to see american animals movie about transy book heist may 30, 2018 10.
American animals is a 2018 crime drama film written and directed by bart layton. American animalss bart layton on his slick as fck heist movie. The film stars evan peters, barry keoghan, blake jenner, jared abrahamson, and ann dowd. This is the second time the story of the transylvania book heist has been told in long form. The inside story of the transylvania book heist by. May 31, 2018 but on december 17, 2004, the rare book room served as the setting for its own story when it became the target of four college students trying to pull off what is now known as the transy book heist. American animals, directed by bart layton, is a sundance critical darling now surfing the wild waves of the summer season. Behind the multimillion dollar book theft at transylvania. It was founded in 1780 and was the first university in kentucky.
Four former college students serving prison time for stealing and trying to sell rare manuscripts and drawings now face longer sentences. No spoilers but got spoilers if you want them in 2007, four years after the event, john falk wrote an article about the plot called majoring in crime for vanity fair. American animals uses documentary techniques to tell story. The four men convicted in the 2004 transylvania university book robbery, now portrayed in the movie american animals, appeared together on. True story behind movie american animals, from herald. Inspired by hollywood heist thrillers and a desperate urge to escape their mundane suburban lives, they disguised themselves as old men and prepared. Mr pink the inside story of the transylvania book heist chas allen on. Sign up now for ap morning wire a daily newsletter from top editors. She was the victim of one of lexingtons most notorious crimes, the transylvania book heist. Selfpublished, the title of the book refers to the names that the conspirators gave one another during the commission of the crime. Transylvania university, colloquially known as transy, is a private university in lexington, kentucky. Director bart layton, as well as the films stars evan peters and blake jenner, open up about working with the real men behind. The hows and the whys and the what were they thinkings are all answered in a shocking turn of events.