Attila Ambrus (born October 6, 1967) is notorious for committing a string of robberies in Hungary. He was born in a Szekely Hungarian family in Fitód (Fitud), a small village in Eastern Transylvania, Romania, right outside Csíkszereda (Miercurea Ciuc). October 6 is the 279th day of the year (280th in leap years). ... 1967 (MCMLXVII) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar (the link is to a full 1967 calendar). ... The Székely (Szeklers in English, Secui in Romanian) are a Hungarian-speaking ethnic group, historically centered in the Transylvanian town of Székelyudvarhely, (now Odorheiu Secuiesc, Harghita county, Romania). ... Map of Romania with Transylvania in yellow Transylvania (Romanian: or Transilvania; Hungarian: ; German: ; Serbian: or Erdelj / Ердељ) is a historical region in the center of Romania. ... Map about the city Miercurea-Ciuc (Hungarian: Csíkszereda, German: Szeklerburg) is the county seat of Harghita county, Romania. ...

Ambrus had trouble with the law from a young age for committing petty thefts. In 1988, Ambrus illegally crossed Romania's borders by riding underneath a freight train and applied for political asylum and citizenship in Hungary, which he never obtained.

Ambrus made a living through a variety of odd jobs, including being a gravedigger and a pelt smuggler, after which he tried out for the professional hockey team Újpesti Torna Egylet (UTE). Despite his abysmal performance, he was admitted to the roster as goalie while doubling as the team's janitor. Ambrus's income continued to be insecure as he worked a variety of sidejobs, and he committed his first robbery of a post office in 1993. After this success, Ambrus continued a string of 27 robberies of banks, post offices, and travel agents that ended with his arrest in 1999, stealing in all about 200 million forints (about one million US Dollars).

He became known as the Whiskey Robber, because he was often seen drinking whiskey at a nearby pub prior to the robbery. While he later carried a gun, Ambrus never harmed anyone in his robberies, and was famous for his outlandish disguises, for presenting female tellers with flowers prior to robberies, and for sending the police bottles of wine. Immensely popular at the time of his arrest on January 15, 1999, a flag honoring the "Whiskey Robber" was flown at the UTE stadium for years afterwards. Ambrus was sentenced to 17 years in prison, but escaped on July 10, using a rope made of shredded sheets, electric cords, and shoe laces. January 15 is the 15th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1999 (MCMXCIX) was a common year starting on Friday, and was designated the International Year of Older Persons by the United Nations. ...

Ambrus evaded police custody for three months while living in a downtown Budapest apartment and he was caught again after another robbery, when he returned to recover his dog.

His accomplice, Károly Antal (also a Romanian of Hugarian ethnicity) was sentenced to two and a half years of prison and was caught at the Romanian-Hungarian border in 2004.

The story of the Whiskey Robber has been made the subject of a Hungarian cabaret and a book, Ballad of the Whiskey Robber (ISBN 0-316-01073-1). Warner Bros. bought the film rights to Rubinstein's book and indends to make a movie starring Johnny Depp as Attila Ambrus. Warner Bros. ... Johnny Depp (born John Christopher Depp II on June 9, 1963) is an Academy Award-nominated American actor, known for his affinity for strange character roles. ...

References

• The Whiskey Robber talks - interview with Salon
• The Great Escape - article in the Central Europe Review
• Omul lui "Whisky man", prins - Ziua, 16 February 2004
• Johnny to play Hungary's 'Robin Hood' - Ananova