Clark Olofsson, Infamous Bank Robber Behind ‘Stockholm Syndrome’ Phenomenon, Dies at 78

Olofsson was convicted on robbery charges for what was called the “Normalmstorg robbery” and inspired the term “Stockholm syndrome” in the process.

Clark Olofsson, the notorious Swedish bank robber whose actions during a 1973 hostage crisis inspired the term “Stockholm syndrome,” has died at the age of 78. His family confirmed that he passed away at Arvika Hospital in Holm, Sweden, on Tuesday following a prolonged illness.

Olofsson gained international notoriety after participating in the Kreditbanken Bank robbery in Stockholm, alongside former cellmate Jan-Erik Olsson. The high-stakes standoff, broadcast live on Swedish television, lasted five days and captivated the nation. During the ordeal, hostages began to express sympathy and emotional attachment toward their captors, even going so far as to defend them from police intervention.

The psychological bond formed between captors and captives during the standoff would later be coined as “Stockholm syndrome,” a term now used globally in criminal psychology to describe situations where hostages develop empathy or affection for their abductors.

Olofsson and his hostages Birgitta Lundblad, Sven Säfström and Elisabeth Oldgren inside the Stockholm bank on Aug. 23, 1973

One of the hostages, 23-year-old Kristin Ehnmark, famously protested police orders to evacuate the bank, yelling, “Jan and Clark go first — you’ll gun them down if we do!” Reports from the time also noted evidence of possible sexual activity in the bank, further complicating public perceptions of the hostage-captor dynamic.

Though Olofsson was ultimately convicted of robbery for his role in the infamous “Normalmstorg robbery,” his legacy extended far beyond courtrooms. He became a cultural figure in Sweden — both reviled and romanticized — for his daring heists, charismatic persona, and multiple prison escapes.

Olofsson’s criminal career was prolific. In 1975, he escaped from Norrköping Prison and resurfaced in Denmark, where he robbed a bank in Copenhagen wielding pistols in both hands. He reportedly sailed the Mediterranean with stolen money and eluded law enforcement for years before resurfacing.

On March 24, 1976, he executed what was, at the time, the largest bank robbery in Swedish history, stealing 930,000 kronor from a bank in Gothenburg. He was arrested later that same evening and sentenced to 10 years in prison.

Clark Olofsson appears at a book signing in the fall of 1991

Despite repeated incarcerations, Olofsson continued a life of crime well into the 2000s. His final prison sentence followed a 2009 conviction for drug smuggling, and he was released in 2018.

Clark Olofsson’s life story inspired multiple film portrayals, including the 2019 movie Stockholm starring Ethan Hawke and Noomi Rapace. He was also the subject of the 1977 Swedish film Clark, for which he received a writing credit.

Olofsson’s life, steeped in criminal enterprise and cultural impact, leaves behind a legacy intertwined with one of the most enduring psychological phenomena in criminology.