Uploaded September 2020 | Updated September 2026, 12 hours ago
Jack Roland Murphy. Artist. Musician. Author. Even a surfing champion, hence his nickname: Murph the Surf. Nobody could have suspected that he and his band of "surfer dudes" would pull off the biggest jewel heist in American history when, on October 29, 1964, Murphy and his two accomplices took advantage of the American Museum of Natural History's complacency and lax security to steal 24 priceless jewels, including the famous Star of India.
While "Murph the Surf" and his accomplices were arrested two days later, police would have a much harder time recovering the stolen jewels. Of the 24 stolen, more than half would never be seen again, at least intact.
Note that this program was made in 1992. Murphy died on September 12, 2020. He was recently interviewed by the New York Times in October 2019: nytimes.com/2019/10/17/nyregion/natural-history-museum-jewelry-heist.html
This is the full-length episode. Previous uploads have about 3 minutes of footage cut.
Jack Roland Murphy. Artist. Musician. Author. Even a surfing champion, hence his nickname: Murph the Surf. Nobody could have suspected that he and his band of "surfer dudes" would pull off the biggest jewel heist in American history when, on October 29, 1964, Murphy and his two accomplices took advantage of the American Museum of Natural History's complacency and lax security to steal 24 priceless jewels, including the famous Star of India.
While "Murph the Surf" and his accomplices were arrested two days later, police would have a much harder time recovering the stolen jewels. Of the 24 stolen, more than half would never be seen again, at least intact.
Note that this program was made in 1992. Murphy died on September 12, 2020. He was recently interviewed by the New York Times in October 2019: nytimes.com/2019/10/17/nyregion/natural-history-museum-jewelry-heist.html
This is the full-length episode. Previous uploads have about 3 minutes of footage cut.
