The Coca-Cola Heist of 1949

Howard M. Maynard, of East Hartford, Connecticut, and Raymond J. Welch, of Southwick, Massachusetts, met Walter Oliver and William Smith of New York City on January 7, 1947, in Florida, after answering an ad for a ride back to the Northeast.

Welch met Oliver again during a planned meeting held at the Sunnyside Tavern in East Hartford on August 4, 1949.

On August 11, Welch, Smith, and Oliver did a drive-by of the Coca-Cola bottling plant in East Hartford, where Maynard and Welch worked.

COLD FEET?

Old Town Hall Restaurant

With his conscience getting the best of him, Welch backed out of the group's plan, and so they brought Maynard on board.

The foursome parked behind the Old Town Hall Restaurant on August 12. Welch, who backed out of the plan, stayed with the getaway car. 

Oliver and Smith pried open a ground-level window at the Coca-Cola bottling plant. The plant had closed at 1:30 a.m., so they waited a solid 15 minutes to ensure a burglar alarm didn't sound.

Determining the coast was clear, Oliver, Smith, and Maynard climbed through the window and made their way to the 2nd-floor office where the safe was kept. In case of the need for escape, the trio opened a rear-facing window where Maynard stood as a lookout. Smith and Oliver worked the safe for 15 minutes before joining Maynard by the window. They sucked down a few Cokes before continuing to crack the safe using a crowbar and a sledgehammer(s).

"Whoever You Are, Whatever You Do, Wherever You May Be, When You Think of Refreshment, Think of Ice Cold Coca-Cola."

- Coca-Cola Advertising Slogan (1939)

Meanwhile, Welch, who had thrown back several drinks, was now sound asleep in the car. 

The thieves made off with $4,972. Leaving a crowbar behind (and possibly a window or two open), they traveled to Southwick (maybe Eagle Street) to divide the money, with Maynard getting $445 in small bills and $335 in bags of nickels and quarters.

Welch received $630 broken out in 10 rolls of quarters with the rest in one, two, and five dollar bills.

Unsure how to get rid of all the change, Maynard approached Mr. Burke, who was collecting coins from area jukeboxes. He offered Burke $35 to deposit $300 worth of coins. Burke refused, and after reading about the burglary in a local newspaper, he reported the suspicious transaction to the police. 

The police picked up Maynard, who denied knowing anything about the break-in, so they released him but kept a watchful eye on him. Authorities also kept any of their future findings out of the papers to not alert Maynard or any others involved.

Before the police came calling, Maynard contacted Frank Matarese of Hartford. He offered him $50 to dispose of $335 in small change. Matarese took the $50 and the stolen loot but never returned the money to Maynard.

Welch (left) and Maynard

Police arrested Maynard and Matarese, and Welch got picked up shortly after that in East Hartford.

Smith, Oliver, Welch, and Maynard pleaded guilty at their court appearance. But before that, Smith and Oliver fought extradition to Connecticut from New York. Authorities brought Maynard and Welch to New York to testify in Oliver and Smith's extradition hearing.

Maynard was sentenced to 15 months to 3 years on the breaking and entering charge and one year on a charge of theft of United States currency. Welch, who received the exact charges as Maynard, was sentenced to 18 months to four years.

Oliver and Smith were each sentenced to 2-to-5 years on a charge of breaking and entering with violence and one year for theft of United States currency.

Matarese was fined $10 for receiving stolen goods.

Howard Maynard (right) as a district manager for food broker B. Meier & Sons, Inc.
in an October 1960 advertisement for Broadcast Corned Beef Hash with Catsup.

Author's Notes:

 
The Coca-Cola bottling plant in East Hartford was broken into more than once. A break-in also occurred in 1957.

 
The Old Town Hall Inn and Diner was originally the East Hartford Select School (also known as the English and Classical School). It was built 1832-33. When the school closed, it eventually became part of Jonathan Tremaine Wells' estate (est. 1858), including the Wells Tavern. Upon his death, Wells willed the Academy, which would be called Wells Hall, to the town. In 1885, it became the town hall. When the new town hall was built in 1937, the building went to Wells' heirs as dictated by his will. In the 1930s and 1950s, famous entertainers performed at the Old Town Hall Inn and Restaurant.