Sean Flynn

And I did, in a way, but that was too late. About the time Martin was getting out of prison in 1990, his mother bought a three-story building in the center of Osgutstrand, a little village on the fjord south of Oslo, and only a few miles from Tonsberg, where he grew up. Martin moved into the top two floors, which left the ground floor vacant.

That's true. Munch had a small house overlooking the fjord.

That's true. Munch had a small house overlooking the fjord.

There's a fair amount of cheek in that name, considering Martin began his former life of crime by stealing Munch lithographs from a wealthy widow. Those pieces were eventually returned. But he did hang copies of at least two of those, one called Madonna and the other Jealousy, in his café. He also had a wall of framed newspaper clippings about his exploits. Come in.

There's a fair amount of cheek in that name, considering Martin began his former life of crime by stealing Munch lithographs from a wealthy widow. Those pieces were eventually returned. But he did hang copies of at least two of those, one called Madonna and the other Jealousy, in his café. He also had a wall of framed newspaper clippings about his exploits. Come in.

Yeah, I'm the bank robber. That's how I heard about him. Two of those tourists are friends of mine, and they told me about this charming gentleman they met in this Norwegian village. Martin still lives above the cafe with his fourth wife and their toddler son. But he sold the cafe last year. He's 71 years old now, and his knees are shot. He started running marathons in prison with a Soviet spy.

Yeah, I'm the bank robber. That's how I heard about him. Two of those tourists are friends of mine, and they told me about this charming gentleman they met in this Norwegian village. Martin still lives above the cafe with his fourth wife and their toddler son. But he sold the cafe last year. He's 71 years old now, and his knees are shot. He started running marathons in prison with a Soviet spy.

And you know what? It's a good story. But it's at this point, when you're being charmed by this man and these stories, that you have to remind yourself, just for the record, that robbing banks is... very bad, especially when you're pointing guns at people. Martin, of course, knows this, just as he knows that he badly traumatized some people in his outlaw days.

And you know what? It's a good story. But it's at this point, when you're being charmed by this man and these stories, that you have to remind yourself, just for the record, that robbing banks is... very bad, especially when you're pointing guns at people. Martin, of course, knows this, just as he knows that he badly traumatized some people in his outlaw days.

And yet, all these years later, he's still playing a bank robber. The character has evolved. He's kind of a scamp now. And Martin brings him out whenever it seems appropriate, which is more often than one would think. One afternoon, Martin and I, along with his wife and son, went to Oslo to tour the Munch Museum. It's in a new building by the opera house.

And yet, all these years later, he's still playing a bank robber. The character has evolved. He's kind of a scamp now. And Martin brings him out whenever it seems appropriate, which is more often than one would think. One afternoon, Martin and I, along with his wife and son, went to Oslo to tour the Munch Museum. It's in a new building by the opera house.

We saw only part of it because it's enormous and because Martin was a week away from getting a knee replaced. We took photos in front of some of the original paintings that he stole lithographs of all those years ago. It was fun. We got separated on our way out. I found him after a few minutes near the gift shop with four befuddled German tourists. Martin was chuckling.

We saw only part of it because it's enormous and because Martin was a week away from getting a knee replaced. We took photos in front of some of the original paintings that he stole lithographs of all those years ago. It was fun. We got separated on our way out. I found him after a few minutes near the gift shop with four befuddled German tourists. Martin was chuckling.

They don't believe me, he said. Go on, tell them. I didn't have to ask what he was talking about. It's true, I told the Germans. Norway's biggest bank robber. Their eyes got a little wide, and they smiled, as if we'd pulled off some mildly amusing party trick. And it seemed, just for a second, like they might even politely applaud. Yeah.

They don't believe me, he said. Go on, tell them. I didn't have to ask what he was talking about. It's true, I told the Germans. Norway's biggest bank robber. Their eyes got a little wide, and they smiled, as if we'd pulled off some mildly amusing party trick. And it seemed, just for a second, like they might even politely applaud. Yeah.