Wanted: John Dillinger

With the opening of a new film about John Dillinger - "Public Enemies" starring Johnny Depp as Dillinger - this seemed an appropriate item to share.

This poster dated March 12, 1934, notes in the "Criminal Record" section that Dillinger had escaped from custody in a stolen car on March 3. According to the FBI's "Famous Cases" page, "[i]t was then that Dillinger made the mistake that would cost him his life. He stole the sheriff's car and drove across the Indiana-Illinois line, heading for Chicago. By doing that, he violated the National Motor Vehicle Theft Act, [noted on poster] which made it a Federal offense to transport a stolen motor vehicle across a state line." On March 13 - the day after the publishing date of the poster - Dillinger robbed the First National Bank in Mason City, Iowa.

On July 22, 1934 Dillinger was shot to death outside of a movie theater as he drew his pistol against the FBI agents who had been tracking him.

PBS also offers good resources on Dillinger in association with its American Experience series.

The official site for the new film is here.