A leading true crime author has made a public plea for the release of Australia's most notorious bank robber and prison escapee, arguing that after three decades behind bars, Brendan Abbott has "served his time."
A Life Sentence of Crime and Confinement
Abe Madison, who also writes under the name Derek Pedley, penned the definitive biography Australian Outlaw on Abbott. He has maintained contact with the inmate for years and has now spoken out on the Daily Mail's The Trial Australia podcast. Madison contends that Abbott, now 63, should be granted release after serving a 30-year prison sentence, a staggering 12 years of which were spent in solitary confinement.
Abbott's criminal career reads like a script from a Hollywood film. Between 1989 and 1998, he was responsible for an estimated 40 to 50 bank robberies. His notoriety was cemented by three audacious prison escapes, which saw him spend years as a fugitive. His most famous breakout was in 1989 from Fremantle Prison in Perth, where he crafted a fake guard's uniform to slip past armed towers.
The Human Cost and the Case for Release
Speaking to reporter Wayne Flower, Madison acknowledged the seriousness of Abbott's crimes against bank staff but insisted the punishment has now been sufficient. "After 30 years, I firmly believe that Abbott has served his time," Madison stated. He highlighted a profound personal tragedy: Abbott's son, James, was born in 1991 while his father was on the run. In total, the pair have spent only about 30 hours together across the son's entire life.
"Abbott wants to spend his last days getting to know his son and I think that's fair enough," Madison argued, emphasising that despite the scale of the robberies, no one was killed or physically injured during Abbott's crimes.
Originally sentenced in 1987 for armed robbery and prison riot, Abbott received additional sentences for heists committed while a fugitive. He is currently held in maximum security at Perth's Casuarina Prison and will be eligible for parole in October 2026.
The Myth of the 'Postcard Bandit'
Abbott was infamously dubbed 'The Postcard Bandit' by the media, following a police-generated story that he taunted authorities by sending postcards from tourist spots. Madison clarified this enduring myth, revealing the true story was one of police media strategy.
After Abbott's 1989 escape, he and an accomplice, Aaron Reynolds, travelled across Australia with a Japanese tourist, Masao Ayuda, who was unaware they were robbing banks. The group took many photographs. Following a car chase in Perth where shots were fired at police, officers recovered a roll of film from the fugitives' vehicle.
"Police media released these photos, saying that Abbott had intended to send them to his mates," Madison explained. A magazine subsequently coined the 'Postcard Bandit' nickname, which Abbott has always despised. The author noted the irony: "He never sent any postcards to police."
Described as a "very, very smart man," Abbott taught himself disguise techniques and conducted meticulous surveillance on his targets, sometimes for weeks. He was never charged with, though police believe he committed, the robbery of Perth's Commonwealth Bank, considered Western Australia's biggest heist, netting between $300,000 and $500,000.
Madison concluded that the full extent of Abbott's crimes may never be known, as he operated with unidentified accomplices and, with one exception, always wore a balaclava. His final bid for freedom remains a subject of intense debate, with a dedicated author now firmly in his corner.
