The robber takes a taxi to the bank.
Thus begins the story of what is now known as the Norrmalmstorg tragedy of 1973. The main character and bank robber Janne Olsson, who took a taxi to Norrmalmstorg from Alvik, pays for the taxi ride and changes clothes for the robbery of Kreditbanken in the toilet of a press agency kiosk. He puts on a wig and glasses and makes himself unrecognizable with brown cream on his face. With a k-pistol weapon, he enters the bank, fires a few shots and the drama begins.
Strange robbery.
Instead of taking the money and quickly leaving the bank, Olsson immediately takes the bank staff hostage. He demands three million kronor and that inmate Clark Olofsson be brought there immediately. It is August 23, 1973 and the hostage situation was to last until August 28. The four held hostage were Sven Säfström, Elisabeth Oldgren, Kristin Enmark and Birgitta Lundblad.
Clark Olofsson is coming.
The already notorious Clark Olofsson is serving a six-year prison sentence for bank robbery, and has already tried to escape from Kalmar Prison where he is being held. When Clark Olofsson comes to Norrmalmstorg and Kreditbanken on the afternoon of the first day of the robbery and meets Olsson, Clark does not recognize him immediately. Olsson had only spoken English to everyone from the beginning of the robbery, and suddenly starts speaking Swedish, which surprises everyone who thought he was not a Swedish person. Clark Olofsson says that he has been promised leave if he can get Olsson to surrender or take him by force.
The drama unfolds.
The everyday problems of eating, going to the toilet, sleeping, etc. are taking their toll on everyone involved. The police have started drilling holes in the bank's roof and Olsson threatens to blow up the bank if that happens. The police lower a camera through the hole and take a picture. The picture shows the hostages in the bank vault and Clark Olofsson looking out.
The resolution.
On the sixth day, August 28, the police act and spray gas through the holes they drilled. The hostage and the robbers panic. Janne Olsson himself resigns and shouts loudly: I give up! He is taken out by the police and met by the police force and press photographers. Detective Inspector Sven Thorander, who was in charge of the operation, greets Olsson with a handshake. Five police officers then escorted Olsson to the hospital where he is examined. Olsson was sentenced to ten years in prison for the robbery, served his sentence and has not been convicted of any similar crime since then.
As a basis for the text Janne Olsson's own story from the robbery published in Pockettidningen R no. 1 1974.