The Postcard Bandit, a 2003 telemovie, tells the story of Brenden James Abbott, colloquially known as The Postcard Bandit. Released on DVD in 2005, the movie begins with Abbott (portrayed by Tom Long) on the run with fellow criminal Aaron Reynolds, having just escaped from Fremantle Prison together. The pair rob banks across the country before Abbott decides it's time to live the high life for a while. To avoid suspicion, the two travel the country with a Japanese tourist, and during this trip, Abbott tells Reynolds he is giving him the flick. Reynolds tells Abbott, "You won't last a week without me," but it is Reynolds who is arrested some four weeks later. While on the Gold Coast, Brenden meets the future mother of his only son William. Soon after, Abbott decides to get back into robbing banks to feed his extravagant lifestyle. Abbott is connected with a driver, whom his brother Glen has arranged for him to meet. Glen Abbott is still upset with his brother for leaving him behind in Fremantle Jail and gives the driver a message for Brenden, "Why'd you leave me behind?" Abbott uses the man as assistant to rob a Perth bank, going in through the roof and breaking his ankle in the process. Abbott returns to the Gold Coast, only to learn that his lover has become pregnant with his first and only child. She is suspicious about the fact that he has a broken ankle, but this is quickly forgotten when he presents her with a Rolex watch. Soon after that, Abbott decides to look for a new partner, and upon leaving, his lover raises her suspicion about his line of work, presenting a balaclava she found in his bag. Abbott tells her nothing other than to return the balaclava to where it was found, before leaving angrily. While on the run, his lover has the child and she learns the true identity of "Peter", Brenden James Abbott. Abbott begins seeing a prostitute, who gets a rush off driving fast cars. Abbott asks her is she wants a real rush, and uses her as his getaway driver for his next few robberies. Abbott decides to team up with his brother Glen, which he knows will upset his mother. Glen proves to be a loose cannon, and while they successfully rob a number of banks, Brenden soon decides to cut his younger brother loose. He informs Glen that he will still need his services in obtaining guns and fake ID cards, but will no longer rob banks with him. Glen gets upset, telling his brother that he is, "No good on me own," he punches Brenden before the pair go their separate ways. Glen is detained by the police and due to possession of a number of illegal weapons, he is forced to give up information on his brother's whereabouts. He gives the police the number of a pager used to contact Brenden Abbott, which is traced back to a post office box on the Gold Coast. Brenden Abbott is about to walk out on his current lover, when a few minutes later, he is arrested on the street in Surfers Paradise. Abbott is sent to a maximum security prison in Brisbane, where he befriends a small-time criminal and plots an escape with 4 other violent criminals. The petty criminal is due for release some four weeks later, so Abbott plots to use the man as a getaway driver for his planned escape. On the day of the prison break, a female visitor gives one of the prisoners some razor wire which has been concealed in her vagina. The convicts use the wire to escape their cells and run to the pison fence, where they are met by the other released criminal. He throws a set of bolt cutters over the fence and shoots at the guards who come near the escaping prisoners. A perimeter patrol vehicle is also disabled by the man's gunfire when Abbott instructs him to "aim for the battery". The group escapes in an awaiting vehicle which the man had driven to the prison. Soon, the other 4 escapees are detained while Abbott and the petty criminal manage to avoid custody.

• published: 01 Sep 2014
• views: 462864