In 1971, decorated Vietnam veteran Bernard Patterson walked into his hometown bank in Mars Hill, Maine, wearing a wig, dark glasses and an ankle-length coat. He left with a fortune and launched an international manhunt that would take his story from a rubber raft in northern Maine to Europe, North Africa — and even a camel.

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Resources
Ronald Chase, The Great Mars Hill Bank Robbery: The True Adventures of Maine’s Zaniest Criminal (Down East Books, 2016). Publisher page.
Ron Chase Outdoors, “The Great Mars Hill Bank Robbery.”
Anthony Brino, “The Mars Hill bank robbery that shocked Maine 45 years ago,” Bangor Daily News, 12 November 2016.
Kathryn Olmstead, “‘Oh, Bernard’: Writer rounds up adventures of Maine’s ‘zaniest criminal’,” Bangor Daily News, 30 June 2016.
Lloyd Ferriss, “Book review: Maine bank robber’s exploits make for absorbing tale,” Portland Press Herald, 10 July 2016.
Kate Irish Collins, “Book details controversial, colorful Maine bank robber: Q&A with Ron Chase,” Portland Press Herald, 15 September 2016.
“The Great Mars Hill Bank Robbery author holding book talk at CVPL,” Daily Bulldog, 23 March 2017.
Paula Brewer, “5 criminals who tainted Aroostook County history,” Bangor Daily News, 19 December 2022.

Created & Produced by Sonya Lowe
Narrated by Noel Vinson
Music: "Nordic Medieval" by Marcus Bressler
Background track: Doblado Studios: https://www.youtube.com/c/DobladoStudios

This True Crime Podcast was researched using open-source or archive materials.