Mystery For Two Podcast: true crime, treasure & history

Katy Bellotte and Jack Allan
  • 4.9 (51)
  • TRUE CRIME
  • UPDATED WEEKLY

Each week, Katy and Jack share stories of true crime, treasure, conspiracies, and the cobwebbed corners of history.

  1. 4D AGO

    The Louvre Jewel Heist - mysteries at the Louvre, part two

    We're back with part two of 'Mysteries at the Louvre'! In October 2025, a team of thieves disguised as construction workers broke into the Louvre’s golden Apollo Gallery and stole millions of dollars worth of French Crown Jewels in broad daylight. A priceless crown was dropped on the sidewalk during their escape, and investigators would soon discover that the museum’s surveillance password was literally “Louvre." We explore how the heist unfolded and the eerie parallels to an infamous crown jewel robbery during the French Revolution. Were these criminals masterminds… or just incredibly lucky? And will the jewels ever be recovered? We have some theories... A special thanks to Sarah Schilling for assisting with research for this case. Sources: Andrews, E. (2016). The heist that made the Mona Lisa famous. History.com. https://www.history.com/articles/the-heist-that-made-the-mona-lisa-famous BBC News. (2025). Everything we know about the Louvre jewellery heist. https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cg7nrlkg0zxo BBC News. (2025). Four more arrests made following Louvre jewellery heist. https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cr5zm7n8ngpo Corbet, S., & Leicester, J. (2025). The home of the “Mona Lisa” has a new boss to steer the Louvre out of crisis after jewel heist. https://www.britannica.com/news/2278696/38adf9f5ac5c99c16e206cc16845ca04 Leath, M. (2025). A history of heists at the Louvre: From the Mona Lisa to Napoleon’s jewels. ABC News. https://abcnews.com/International/history-heists-louvre-mona-lisa-napoleons-jewels/story?id=126680032 Napoleon Foundation. (2025). Theft of jewellery belonging to Empresses Marie-Louise and Eugénie, and to Queen Hortense, from the Louvre Museum, 19 October 2025. https://fondationnapoleon.org/en/2025/10/20/heritage-theft-of-jewellery-belonging-to-empresses-marie-louise-and-eugenie-and-to-queen-hortense-from-the-louvre-museum-19-october-2025/ NPR Staff. (2011). The theft that made the “Mona Lisa” a masterpiece. NPR. https://www.npr.org/2011/07/30/138800110/the-theft-that-made-the-mona-lisa-a-masterpiece Ord, S. (2026). Authorities announce progress in Louvre jewellery heist investigation. Jeweller Magazine. https://www.jewellermagazine.com/Article/14781/Authorities-announce-progress-in-Louvre-jewellery-heist-investigation The New York Times. (2025). In just 7 brazen minutes, thieves grab “priceless” jewels from Louvre. https://www.nytimes.com/2025/10/19/world/europe/louvre-paris-robbery.html Wilson, B. (n.d.). Vincenzo Peruggia: The man who stole the Mona Lisa. Medium. https://brucewilsonauthor.medium.com/vincenzo-peruggia-the-man-who-stole-the-mona-lisa-71fb61cb7128 Zelazko, A. (2026). What was stolen from the Louvre. Encyclopaedia Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/art/What-Was-Stolen-from-the-Louvre Goppion. (n.d.). Mona Lisa returns to her home in an improved high-tech display case. https://www.goppion.com/journal/mona-lisa-returns-to-her-home-in-an-improved-high-tech-display-case-by-goppion-1 Smithsonian Magazine. (n.d.). Stolen: How the Mona Lisa became the world’s most famous painting. https://www.smithsonianmag.com/arts-culture/stolen-how-the-mona-lisa-became-the-worlds-most-famous-painting-16406234/ Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

    44 min

  2. MAR 2

    The Mona Lisa was STOLEN?! - crimes at the Louvre, part one

    Today we dive into the 1911 theft of the Mona Lisa (!!!) and the investigation that even dragged Pablo Picasso into police questioning. Plus, we set the stage for the modern-day 2025 Louvre robbery that eerily mirrors the past... Follow us on Instagram: @MysteryForTwoPodcast A special thanks to Sarah Schilling for assisting with the research on this episode. Sources: NPR Staff. (2011, July 30). The theft that made the “Mona Lisa” a masterpiece. NPR. https://www.npr.org/2011/07/30/138800110/the-theft-that-made-the-mona-lisa-a-masterpiece Andrews, E. (2016). The heist that made the Mona Lisa famous. History.com. https://www.history.com/articles/the-heist-that-made-the-mona-lisa-famous Everything we know about the Louvre jewellery heist. (2025). BBC News. https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cg7nrlkg0zxo In just 7 brazen minutes, thieves grab ‘priceless’ jewels from Louvre. (2025, October 19). The New York Times. https://www.nytimes.com/2025/10/19/world/europe/louvre-paris-robbery.html Four more arrests made following Louvre jewellery heist. (2025). BBC News. https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cr5zm7n8ngpo Ord, S. (2026). Authorities announce progress in Louvre jewellery heist investigation. Jeweller Magazine. https://www.jewellermagazine.com/Article/14781/Authorities-announce-progress-in-Louvre-jewellery-heist-investigation Leath, M. (2025). A history of heists at the Louvre: From the Mona Lisa to Napoleon’s jewels. ABC News. https://abcnews.go.com/International/history-heists-louvre-mona-lisa-napoleons-jewels/story?id=126680032 Mona Lisa returns to her home in an improved high-tech display case. Goppion. https://www.goppion.com/journal/mona-lisa-returns-to-her-home-in-an-improved-high-tech-display-case-by-goppion-1 Wilson, B. (n.d.). Vincenzo Peruggia: The man who stole the Mona Lisa. Medium. https://brucewilsonauthor.medium.com/vincenzo-peruggia-the-man-who-stole-the-mona-lisa-71fb61cb7128 Stolen! How the Mona Lisa became the world’s most famous painting. (n.d.). Smithsonian Magazine. https://www.smithsonianmag.com/arts-culture/stolen-how-the-mona-lisa-became-the-worlds-most-famous-painting-16406234/ Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

    46 min

  3. FEB 23

    The Mummy in the Funhouse - the mysterious life of elmer mccurdy

    A mummified “mannequin” hanging in a 1970s amusement park turned out to be something far stranger: the real body of outlaw Elmer McCurdy. What began as a strange prop on a funhouse ride unfolds into one of the most bizarre afterlife stories in American history. This is the unbelievable journey of the outlaw who kept traveling after death! Follow us on IG: @MysteryForTwoPodcast Sources https://www.history.com/articles/elmer-mccurdy-mummy-dead-outlawhttps://www.nytimes.com/1977/04/15/archives/wax-model-identified-as-oklahoma-bandit.htmlhttps://williams-williams-michael.medium.com/elmer-mccurdy-outlaw-mummy-7521975d08c6The Valley Tribune, Wed, Dec 14, 1977 · Page 6 “Elmer the mummified desperado”https://blogs.loc.gov/headlinesandheroes/2018/07/elmer-mccurdy-traveling-corpse/https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/americanexperience/features/tcrr-nitroglycerin/https://www.oklahoman.com/story/entertainment/2022/04/14/oklahoma-outlaw-turned-mummy-elmer-mccurdy-inspires-musical-dead-outlaw/9427777002/ Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

    50 min

  4. FEB 16

    The Wine and Cheese Bank Robbery

    This week we unravel the infamous “Wine and Cheese Heist” of 1976, masterminded by photographer slash chicken farmer Albert Spaggiari and his 20-man “sewer gang,” who spent months digging a secret tunnel, then casually looted a French bank vault over a holiday weekend, taking their time robbing the place while enjoying a wine and cheese picnic. But a couple of red chisels, stolen gold bars, a CIA tip-off, and one of the most cinematic courtroom escapes in history would ultimately crack the case. A special thanks to Sarah Schilling for assistance with the research for this case! SOURCES The Heist of the Century: Inside the Société Générale Detectives’ Case. The New York Times. December 19, 1976.https://www.nytimes.com/1976/12/19/archives/the-heist-of-the-century-inside-the-soci-t-g-n-rale-detectives.htmlFrench Hero-Criminal Gets Life in Absentia. The New York Times. November 8, 1979.https://www.nytimes.com/1979/11/08/archives/french-herocriminal-gets-life-in-absentia.htmlAlbert Spaggiari, 57, Mastermind of Notorious Riviera Bank Heist. The New York Times. June 12, 1989.https://www.nytimes.com/1989/06/12/obituaries/albert-spaggiari-57-mastermind-of-notorious-riviera-bank-heist.htmlMastermind of Notorious Bank Theft in France Dies. Orlando Sentinel. June 12, 1989.https://www.orlandosentinel.com/1989/06/12/mastermind-of-notorious-bank-theft-in-france-dies/FRANCE: Bank Heist of the Century. Time.https://time.com/archive/6848187/france-bank-heist-of-the-century/Suspected Mastermind on Trial for France’s ‘Heist of the Century’. The Guardian. February 12, 2018.https://www.theguardian.com/world/2018/feb/12/jacques-cassandri-suspected-mastermind-societe-generale-france-heist-trialFrench Gangster Jacques Cassandri on Trial for 1976 ‘Heist of the Century’. BBC News.https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-43035229Albert Spaggiari and the Société Générale Robbery. RivRep.https://rivrep.com/history-and-traditions/811-albert-spaggiari-and-the-societe-generale-robbery Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

    58 min

  5. FEB 9

    The Locked Door Murder, part two - the julia wallace case

    In 1931 Liverpool, we witness a crime that seems physically "impossible": Julia Wallace is brutally murdered inside her locked home, with no sign of forced entry and no clear way for the killer to escape. What begins with a mysterious phone call to a chess club and a nonexistent address spirals into one of history’s most famous real-life locked room mysteries. In part two we will discuss the investigation and trial that follows the murder, all the while asking ourselves: "Did William Herbert Wallace kill his wife?" Today's research couldn't have been possible without my friend and talented Records Custodian, Sarah Schilling. Special thanks to her! Follow us on instagram @mysteryfortwopodcast Sources: Liverpool City Police, “The Murder of Julia Wallace,” official case summary. Court of Criminal Appeal, R v Wallace [1931], judgment quashing conviction. Trial testimony of William Herbert Wallace and key witnesses, Liverpool Assizes, April 1931. Curtis, J. H., The Trial of William Herbert Wallace. London: Geoffrey Bles, 1934. Murphy, James, The Murder of Julia Wallace. 2001. Nickell, Joe, “The Impossible Murder of Julia Wallace,” Skeptical Inquirer 45, no. 5 (2021). “William Herbert Wallace,” Wikipedia. “The Julia Wallace Murder,” Historic Mysteries. William Herbert Wallace case files, williamherbertwallace.com. Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

    57 min

  6. FEB 2

    The Locked Door Murder, part one - the julia wallace case

    In 1931 Liverpool, we witness a crime that seems physically "impossible": Julia Wallace is brutally murdered inside her locked home, with no sign of forced entry and no clear way for the killer to escape. What begins with a mysterious phone call to a chess club and a nonexistent address spirals into one of history’s most famous real-life locked room mysteries. In part one, we meet William Herbert Wallace and his wife Julia, and follow the strange chain of events that lead up to her murder. In part two we will discuss the investigation and trial that follows, all the while asking ourselves: "Did William kill his wife?" Today's research couldn't have been possible without my friend and talented Records Custodian, Sarah Schilling. Special thanks to her! Follow us on instagram @mysteryfortwopodcast Sources: Liverpool City Police, “The Murder of Julia Wallace,” official case summary. Court of Criminal Appeal, R v Wallace [1931], judgment quashing conviction. Trial testimony of William Herbert Wallace and key witnesses, Liverpool Assizes, April 1931. Curtis, J. H., The Trial of William Herbert Wallace. London: Geoffrey Bles, 1934. Murphy, James, The Murder of Julia Wallace. 2001. Nickell, Joe, “The Impossible Murder of Julia Wallace,” Skeptical Inquirer 45, no. 5 (2021). “William Herbert Wallace,” Wikipedia. “The Julia Wallace Murder,” Historic Mysteries. William Herbert Wallace case files, williamherbertwallace.com. Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

    52 min

  7. JAN 26

    It Rained Goo in Washington - the oakville blobs

    One morning in August 1994, a small town in Washington watched as translucent, gelatin-like blobs of goo fell from the sky, making people violently ill, and sparking a mystery that recently resurfaced 30 years later. From medieval “star jelly” to real cases of fish raining from the sky around the world, this episode explores bizarre happenings in nature. Follow Mystery For Two on Instagram - @MysteryForTwo Sources: The UnBelievable with Dan Aykroyd, Season 2, Episode 1 “The Day Blobs Rained Down on Oakville,” The Chronicle “Return of the Blobs: SW Washington Revisited by Decades-Old Gooey Mystery,” KUOW “Can You Solve the Mystery of the Oakville Blobs?” KUOW Gordon, Benjamin Lee. Medieval and Renaissance Medicine (1959) Belcher, Hilary & Swale, Erica. “Catch a Falling Star,” Folklore (1984) “Star Jelly,” Wikipedia (with historical medical references) “Lluvia de Peces: The Rain of Fish,” Atlas Obscura “Animal Rain: A Real Phenomenon?” Sinapsi e Diaria “Why Does It Rain Fish in Honduras?” CaterPickles Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

    34 min

  8. JAN 19

    The Titanic Movie Set Poisoning

    During a midnight shoot for Titanic in Halifax, nearly 80 cast and crew members, including director James Cameron, suddenly began hallucinating after eating bowls of lobster chowder. This mystery begs the question: who spiked the chowder? Follow us on Instagram: @mysteryfortwo Sources: https://www.newspapers.com/article/star-phoenix/31135045/https://www.newspapers.com/article/calgary-herald/31137984/https://www.businessinsider.com/titanic-pcp-laced-chowder-mystery-what-happened-2024-4https://www.vanityfair.com/hollywood/2017/12/titanic-pcp-chowderhttps://globalnews.ca/news/10462345/titanic-movie-set-pcp-chowder-halifax-details/https://www.vulture.com/2022/12/25-years-later-no-one-knows-who-spiked-the-titanic-chowder.htmlhttps://mysticsciences.com/ghost-stories/ghosts-of-the-titanic-haunting-tales-that-endure-time/ Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

    43 min
See All (13)

4.9
out of 5
51 Ratings

About

Each week, Katy and Jack share stories of true crime, treasure, conspiracies, and the cobwebbed corners of history.

Information

You Might Also Like