Gentle Johnny Ramensky

the long version

"Gentle Johnny Ramensky is the astonishing tale of a boy reared in the poverty of the Gorbals who became one of the world's most extraordinary safe blowers. He spent more than forty years in jail. A daring escaper, he broke out of Scotland's grim prison fortress of Peterhead five times - three times in one year! A likeable rogue, he was a gentle man who in peacetime shrank from violence. But he served his country with exceptional bravery and skill in the Second World War. Recruited into the Commandos, he was parachuted behind enemy lines to break into the safes of the German High Command to steal vital documents from Rommel and Goering. Back in civvy street he could not resist a return to the excitement of roaming darkened rooftops and breaking open the toughest of safes. Tragically he was behind bars when he died, by then a true Scottish legend."--Publisher's description.