That Bloke Who

That Bloke Who: The Tunnel Rats — Brazil’s $70 Million Heist

Forget crowbars, getaway cars and alarms blaring in the middle of the night. These blokes had a rather different approach to robbing a bank. They brought shovels, wheelbarrows and a landscaping business.

In August 2005, a gang of Brazilian criminals pulled off one of the most audacious bank heists in history. Operating behind the cover of a seemingly ordinary synthetic-grass business, they spent months secretly digging an approximately 80-metre tunnel beneath the streets of Fortaleza, Brazil.

Their destination? The vault of the Brazilian Central Bank.

Their prize? A staggering R$164.7 million in cash, weighing around 3.5 tonnes — worth approximately US$70 million at the time.

No dramatic rooftop chase. No Hollywood-style shootout. Just an extraordinary feat of planning, engineering, deception and a ridiculous amount of manual labour.

But getting the money out was only the beginning.

As investigators closed in, the story unravelled into a murky world of criminal networks, money laundering, kidnappings, murder, betrayal and some very expensive consequences.

Who were the men behind the operation? How did they pull off such an extraordinary robbery? And what happens when you suddenly find yourself sitting on a mountain of stolen cash?

Welcome to The Tunnel Rats — a story where the grass was fake, the tunnel was real, and the money was very, very dirty.

🎧 Listen, enjoy and join the conversation.

If you enjoy extraordinary true stories, bizarre criminals and history that sounds too ridiculous to be real, follow That Bloke Who and stay tuned for new episodes every Monday, Wednesday and Friday.

Like, follow, share and tell your mates. There's plenty more yarns where this one came from.

That Bloke Who — real people, extraordinary stories.

They Stole $70 Million… Through a Tunnel?!

Imagine turning a landscaping business into the cover for one of the most audacious bank robberies in history.

In Fortaleza, Brazil, a gang spent months digging an underground tunnel towards the Central Bank. Their target? R$164.7 million in cash. That's roughly US$70 million at the time.

And apparently, they needed somewhere to put all that money.

Keith reckons 3.5 tonnes of cash is going to require a LOT of wallets. 😂

This is one hell of a story.

The full Quick Yarn launches tomorrow.

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#ThatBlokeWho #QuickYarns #BrazilHeist #TrueCrime #BankRobbery #History

What if the next world-changing idea starts with a kid asking one simple question?

One boy. One library book. One bicycle.

It sounds like the beginning of a joke, but it's actually the beginning of an extraordinary true story.

William Kamkwamba looked at the world around him and decided there had to be a better way.

His determination would take him from a small village in Malawi to international recognition.

A brilliant reminder to stay curious, keep learning and never be afraid to think differently.

🎬 Quick Yarns Episode 005 is out now!

Watch the full story here:
https://youtu.be/FcykHM0F1i4

I'm absolutely blown away by the early response to this little show. I'm shocked, humbled and incredibly grateful to everyone who's jumped on board.

There's plenty more where that came from!

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#QuickYarns #ThatBlokeWho #StayCurious #WilliamKamkwamba #InspiringPeople #AmazingStories #ThinkDifferent #NeverStopLearning

🍁 9,571 BARRELS. $18 MILLION. AND NOT A PANCAKE IN SIGHT!

What do you get when you mix a warehouse full of maple syrup, a criminal mastermind and an extraordinary plan involving thousands of barrels of water?

One of the sweetest crimes in history!

In 2012, a routine stocktake in Quebec uncovered something rather sticky. Thousands of barrels of Canada's precious maple syrup had mysteriously disappeared. In their place? Water.

Yes, someone actually pulled off an $18 million maple syrup heist. And no, we're not making this up!

In this episode of That Bloke Who, Jim and Keith investigate the Great Canadian Maple Syrup Heist.

We'll uncover:
🍁 How 9,571 barrels of maple syrup went missing.
🚛 How the gang managed to move millions of dollars' worth of liquid gold.
💰 Who was behind the operation and how they made their money.
🤔 The revenge motive that added another twist to the story.
⚖️ The extraordinary court battle that followed.

There are truckloads of syrup, dodgy dealings, millions of dollars and enough water to make you question every barrel you ever see again.

It's a story that proves you don't need diamonds, gold or a getaway car to pull off an extraordinary heist. Apparently, all you need is a warehouse, a few trucks and a serious appetite for pancakes.

So grab a drink, settle in and join Jim and Keith for another unbelievable true story.

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Catch the video version on YouTube:
https://www.youtube.com/@ThatBlokeWho

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That Bloke Who – Real people. Extraordinary stories. And a fair bit of pub chat.

Righto, let's crack into it!

🍁 Canada's $18 Million Maple Syrup Heist!

Forget diamonds and gold bars. This time, the criminals went after Canada's liquid gold — maple syrup!

In this early preview, Jim and Keith recreate the opening moments of one of the strangest heists in history. Thousands of barrels, a warehouse full of syrup and a criminal operation that sounds too ridiculous to be true.

But it really happened.

This is just a taste of what's coming. The full episode of That Bloke Who Stole Canada's Liquid Gold drops tomorrow.

🎬 Prefer to watch? Catch the video version of That Bloke Who on YouTube:

https://www.youtube.com/@ThatBlokeWho

Get ready for a story that's sticky, sweet and absolutely unbelievable!

That Bloke Who — real people, extraordinary stories, and a fair bit of pub chat.

**That Bloke Who Became the World's Oldest Cold Case | Quick Yarns**Imagine heading out for a hike in the Alps and stumbling across a bloke who's been dead for 5,300 years.That's exactly what happened in September 1991, when two German hikers discovered a remarkably preserved body high in the Ötztal Alps.Meet Ötzi the Iceman.But this wasn't just an extraordinary archaeological discovery. As scientists began examining his body, a much darker story emerged.An arrowhead lodged in his shoulder. A serious wound to his hand. Clues about his final meal, his equipment and even his tattoos. And a murder mystery that has kept investigators scratching their heads for more than five millennia.Modern forensic science continues to uncover new evidence, but one question remains:**Who killed Ötzi the Iceman?**Join Jim for another Quick Yarn as we travel back to the Copper Age and investigate one of history's most fascinating unsolved mysteries.And, as always, stick around for Jim's Theory. He's got a suspect in mind!**ABOUT THAT BLOKE WHO**That Bloke Who is all about extraordinary people, unbelievable events, bizarre history and stories that deserve to be told.We're here for the strange, the funny, the inspiring and the downright unbelievable.So grab a drink, settle in and come for a yarn.👍 Enjoyed the story? Give us a like, subscribe to the channel and join the conversation in the comments.**Until next time, keep asking questions, keep digging into history, and look after your mates. Good onya mate.**#ThatBlokeWho #QuickYarns #OtziTheIceman #HistoryMystery #UnsolvedMystery #AncientHistory #ColdCase

That Bloke Who Became the World's Oldest Cold Case | Quick Yarns

What happens when a murder mystery is left unsolved for 5,300 years?

In September 1991, two hikers exploring the Ötztal Alps made an extraordinary discovery: a remarkably preserved human body trapped in the ice. At first, it looked like a tragic climbing accident. But as scientists began investigating, they uncovered something far more sinister.

Meet Ötzi the Iceman.

An arrowhead lodged in his shoulder. A serious wound to his hand. His last meal, his ancient tattoos and the remarkable collection of tools he carried into the mountains.

Piece by piece, modern science has helped reconstruct the final days of a man who lived around 3300 BC. Even recent forensic research has revealed new clues about his injuries.

But despite more than three decades of investigation, one question remains unanswered:

Who killed Ötzi?

Join Jim for a journey into the Copper Age as we explore one of history's most extraordinary discoveries, examine the evidence and put forward a theory of our own.

It's a story of ancient life, forensic science and a cold case that really is as cold as they come.

That Bloke Who – extraordinary stories, unbelievable history and a good old-fashioned yarn.

Until next time, keep asking questions, keep digging into history, and look after your mates. Good onya mate.

🎃 THAT WOMAN WHO LEFT HER LEGS IN THE BACK GARDEN

What would you do if you looked into your backyard and found a pair of legs… with absolutely no body attached?

This Halloween, we're heading to the Philippines to investigate the Manananggal — one of the most terrifying creatures in Filipino folklore.

By night, this winged creature separates its upper body from its legs, sprouts enormous wings and flies off into the darkness in search of prey. Meanwhile, its legs are left behind, hopefully somewhere safe!

In this special episode of That Bloke Who, Jim and the ever-questionable Keith explore the origins and history of the Manananggal legend, the chilling stories surrounding its hunting habits, Filipino cultural traditions and a reported encounter from Camiguin Island.

We even uncover the story of a Filipino horror movie from 1927 that has since been lost.

What started as a quick little yarn quickly turned into a full-blown investigation. Jim went down the rabbit hole, Keith had some important logistical questions, and we eventually had to address the big one…

WHERE DOES SHE PARK HER LEGS?

It's folklore, history, horror and a healthy dose of questionable pub conversation.

We'll also put the Manananggal through the TBW Pub Test to see whether this legendary flying torso has what it takes to score a respectable result.

So, turn down the lights, lock the back door and maybe check the garden before heading to bed.

Righto, let's crack into it!

If you enjoy strange history, fascinating characters, bizarre folklore and stories that make you say, "Surely that's not true!", follow That Bloke Who for more.

#ThatBlokeWho #QuickYarns #Manananggal #FilipinoFolklore #HalloweenSpecial #WeirdHistory

What sort of bloke deliberately gets himself sent to Auschwitz? Meet Witold Pilecki, the Polish resistance officer who volunteered to enter one of history’s darkest places to gather intelligence, organise resistance and expose the truth.

In this episode of That Bloke Who – Quick Yarns, we uncover an extraordinary story of courage, sacrifice and an almost unbelievable mission.

It’s confronting, remarkable, and a story the world needs to remember.

🎙️ Real people. Unbelievable stories. Good onya mate.

🚢 Three maritime disasters. One extraordinary survivor.

Meet Violet Jessop, the woman who survived three major maritime disasters, including the sinking of the Titanic and Britannic. Most people would swear off ships for life. Violet? She kept going back to sea!

Was she unbelievably lucky, incredibly brave, or just determined to give the ocean a second chance? 😂

Join Jim and the ever-suspicious Keith for a Quick Yarn packed with unbelievable history, extraordinary survival and a story that sounds too wild to be true.

🎙️ That Bloke Who — Quick Yarns: Short stories. Big characters. Bloody unbelievable history.

Follow That Bloke Who for more fascinating true stories!

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