Diamond necklaces, rings, and other expensive baubles were an irresistible attraction to the light-fingered burglars who preyed on the wealthy winter visitors to Miami Beach in its early days. One particularly light-fingered jewel thief became the arch-villain of this elegant resort scene. Even after his arrest and imprisonment, the enormous hauls of jewels lifted by this sly criminal kept his legend alive.

The stylish winter playground of Miami Beach in the Roaring Twenties and 1930s—a narrow strip of sandy beaches and luxurious Art Deco hotels—was a popular gathering place for Hollywood celebrities and the nation’s wealthiest elite. In this episode we’ll tell the story of one of the era’s most notorious jewel thieves: a shrewd New Yorker who went by dozens of aliases and mixed unnoticed among the crowds of tuxedoed and bejeweled winter visitors. His method of larceny involved no violence, no confrontation—just an intimate knowledge of Miami Beach’s social scene. He struck when he knew that his wealthy victims would be away from their hotel rooms. Diamonds, rubies, emeralds, and thick wads of banknotes were his spoils. We’ll hear about his daring heists, how the police tried to put an end to them, and how his legacy continues as Miami Beach lives on as a sun-drenched meeting place for the rich and famous—and for some of the world’s greatest grifters and light-fingered jewel thieves.

Music and FX Credits

* Door falls to floor.wav, CastIronCarousel, Licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution (3.0) license, https://freesound.org/people/CastIronCarousel/sounds/216749/

* OurMusicBox (Jay Man) Track Name: “Detective” Music By: Jay Man @ https://ourmusicbox.com/ Official “OurMusicBox” YouTube Channel: http://www.youtube.com/c/ourmusicbox License for commercial use: Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0) https://creativecommons.org/licenses/… Music promoted by NCM https://goo.gl/fh3rEJ

* Water_Miami_beach_Atlantic.aif, by Dynamicell, Licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution (3.0) license, https://freesound.org/people/Dynamicell/sounds/17552/

* Money Monster Ragtime, by Giorgio di Campo – Freesound Music https://open.spotify.com/user/cabcana, Licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution (3.0) license, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IoV5ljd9JsM

* French Champagne.wav, by Puniho, Licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution (3.0) license, https://freesound.org/people/Puniho/sounds/169193/

* Club chatter, London, by mlteenie, Licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution (3.0) license, https://freesound.org/people/mlteenie/sounds/152874/

* “Dances and Dames” Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com), Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

* Fast Talkin Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com), Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License, http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

* “Sweeter Vermouth” Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

* In Your Arms Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com), Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License,