Italy's "gentleman bandit," an affable anarchist who courteously robbed banks in the 1960s and 1970s, died in prison of a heart attack on December 25 at the age of 62.
Horst Fantazzini conducted nonviolent stickups across northern Italy, often using a toy gun according to some stories. He earned his nickname after sending roses to a bank teller who had fainted during a robbery.
His not-so-gentlemanly 1973 jailbreak attempt was depicted in the 1999 Italian movie "Outlaw" by Enzo Monteleone. During that standoff, Fantazzini wounded three guards and took two hostages.
A prison official said he died in Dozza prison, outside Bologna, after more than three decades in and out of jail and various escape attempts.
He had been enjoying "semi-liberty," an alternative sentence allowing model prisoners time outside jail, until last week. He was re-arrested while trying to rob a Bologna bank and returned to prison full-time.
The "gentleman bandit" was born in Germany to an anarchist father. He became a prominent figure in the Italian anarchist movement and a supporter of the "Red Brigade" extremist group, which murdered former Prime Minister Aldo Moro.