on unrelated narcotics charges. He became convinced that his former associates planned to have him killed: Vario, for dealing drugs; and Burke, to prevent Hill from implicating him in the heist. With a long sentence hanging over him, Hill agreed to become an informant and entered the Witness Protection Program with his family. He was not able to help the government obtain convictions against Vario or Burke for the Lufthansa heist, although both were convicted of other crimes as a result of his testimony. Adaptations It is the main subject of two well-known television films – The 10 Million Dollar Getaway (1991) and The Big Heist (2001) – and is a key plot element in the film Goodfellas (1990). See also List of large value US robberies References Further reading Aviation in New York City History of New York City John F. Kennedy International Airport Lucchese crime family heist 1978 crimes in the United States 1978 in New York City 1978 in aviation Robberies in the United States Crimes in Queens, New York December 1978 events in the United States December 1978 crimes 1970s in Queens