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Rory Shayne

b. 1951

Canadian criminal

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About Rory Shayne

Born 1951.

Rory Shayne (born Berkhard Bateman; 23 March 1951 ) is a bank robber who gained notoriety for brazen heists committed in British Columbia and Quebec in the 1970s and 1980s.

Shayne was born in Hamburg, Germany, to a Canadian father and German mother.

In Victoria, British Columbia, on 24 September 1970, Shayne led police on a daring chase which included a gunfight, hostage taking, and the commandeering of a sailing vessel. Taxi driver Dunc Addison picked up Shayne as a passenger in downtown Victoria and unknowingly drove him to the crime scene, a Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce. Shayne returned to the cab after robbing the bank and claimed he had to get to the airport by 1 pm. Addison did not realize what had happened until Shayne fired shots through the rear window at pursuing police officers.

Shayne escaped prison on 14 December 1978. On 23 February 1979, he forced a helicopter pilot at gunpoint to help him rob a bank, before being captured ten days later. He was sentenced to twelve years for kidnapping, conspiracy and armed robbery.

In December 1981, whilst awaiting trial for an hostage-taking incident in prison, he pulled a gun on two guards in an escape attempt. He took aim at the judge and tried to shoot twice, but the gun misfired. He was sentenced to life for the attempted murder. The following month, he was sentenced to eight more years for the hostage-taking incident.

Shayne was deported to West Germany after completing his sentences.

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Important facts

Born
1951
Birth century
Also known as
Berkhard Bateman

Contemporaries

People whose lives overlapped Rory Shayne's

Frequently asked questions

Who is Rory Shayne?

Canadian criminal

When was Rory Shayne born?

Rory Shayne was born in 1951.

Sources & further reading

Β· Wikipedia: Rory Shayne

Β· Wikidata: Q66778061

Β· DBpedia: Rory Shayne

Cite this page

APA: Biography.guide. (2026). Rory Shayne. https://biography.guide/rory-shayne/

MLA: "Rory Shayne." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/rory-shayne/.

Chicago: "Rory Shayne." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/rory-shayne/.

Data last updated: 2026-09-20 Β· Spot an error? Report a correction.

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