Reino
Thompson

REINO A. THOMPSON was in the public eye in the early 1930s in Camden. He was acquitted of the charge of murder in April of 1931, having slain his father, Frederick Thomson, when he assaulted him and his mother Hilda. 

He was born Reino Fredrik Alanko in New York City on July 13, 1913 to Onni Fredrik Alanko and his wife the former Hilda Kristina Wahlroos. His parents had emigrated to the United States from Finland in 1910 with his older brother Onni, and in time "Americanized" the family name to Thompson, and had moved to Camden by 1916. Four daughters were born to the family after the birth of Reino, - Rose, May, Diamond, and Irene.

Reino Thompson engaged in a series of armed robberies which ended in his arrest in August of 1931. He was convicted of robbery and sentenced to a term in prison by Judge Samuel M. Shay in October of 1931. He was released in June of 1935. After his release from prison, he went back to using the Alanko surname, and worked as a merchant seaman into the 1950s. Last a resdident of Cadillac,, Michigan, he passed away on August 19, 1993. 

Camden Courier-Post
April 10, 1931

Reino A. Thompson
Linden Street
Clifford A. Baldwin
Fern Street
Kimber Street
Todd Rooney
William Moll
Clifford Carr
Anson Kelley
John W. Golden
Charles V. Dickinson
Melvin Cain
Francis Zoll
Herbert Townsend

Camden Courier-Post
April 14, 1931

Reino A. Thompson
South 6th Street
Melvin Cain
John Campbell
Clifford A. Baldwin

Camden Courier-Post
April 16, 1931

Reino A. Thompson
William A. Fitzgerald

Camden Courier-Post
October 23, 1931

Reino A. Thompson

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Reino A. Thompson - Linden Street - Clifford A. Baldwin
Clifford Carr - Francis Zoll - Herbert Townsend

Camden Courier-Post
April 25, 1931

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Camden Courier-Post * October 21, 1931

JURY IS SELECTED FOR HOLDUP TRIAL
Thompson and Mallett Are Charged With Robbing Bus Drivers

A jury was selected yesterday to hear testimony in the trial of Reino A. Thompson, 19, of 805 Linden street, and Henry N. Mallett, 21, of 119 North Ninth street, on an indictment charging them with holding up and robbing two bus drivers at Haddonfield Road and Park Avenue, Pennsauken, August 5, last.

Thompson was exonerated of killing his father, Frederick, 45, April 9 last. He pleaded self-defense before Judge Shay at that time. He alleged his father attacked him and his mother.

The police charge Thompson has confessed to 13 robberies in Camden and Gloucester Counties and implicated Mallett in them. However, Thompson pleaded not guilty after his indictment.

Thompson and Mallett are going on trial for holding up and robbing Leon Garringer, 4725 Poplar Avenue, Pennsauken, and Fred Crowder, 6308 Shelbourne Street, Philadelphia, while they were seated in a bus at the end of a route at 11 p. m. It is alleged they took $20 from Garringer and $15 from Crowder at the point of revolvers. They are said to have made their escape in a coupe.

Thompson was captured by Merchantville police near Maple Shade after Mallett's car ran into a ditch after a chase. Mallett is said to have escaped and was arrested later in a house at Lansdowne Avenue near Norris Street.

The car the pair used in the hold­up is said to have been stolen from Warren F. Marshall, Paulsboro.

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Camden Courier-Post
February 27, 1934

Camden Courier-Post
June 29, 1935