Findlay Mcleod Sr.
Findlay McLeod Sr. was a Canadian mail robber active in Toronto in the 1920's who later became a prison reform advocate.
Criminal career
McLeod Sr. was arrested in 1923 in connection with the theft of approximately $100,000 in Victory Bonds from the Canada Mail Service. He was convicted in part due to the testimony of his son, 17 year-old Findlay McLeod Jr., who was also arrested. McLeod Sr. was sentenced to five years in Kingston Penitentiary and released in May 1928.On June 19, 1928, guards at the Toronto Rail Yard were overpowered and held at gunpoint by four men. The men proceeded to rob a mail train headed to Chicago and Detroit of $300,000 in cash and bonds. At the time, it was the largest mail robbery in Canadian history. Toronto Police immediately suspected the recently released McLeod Sr. and were able to match his fingerprints from a milk bottle left at the scene of the crime. He was put under surveillance and subsequently arrested when he met with confederates to split the robbery proceeds.
McLeod Sr. was convicted, again in part on testimony from his son, McLeod Jr., was sentenced to 15 years and sent back to Kingston Penitentiary McLeod Jr. was convicted as an accessory after the fact and was sentenced to probation.