Watch Your Ruby Engagement Ring when Murph the Surf is About!

Every guy loves a cops and robbers story and I am no exception. J, at work, lent me this great article about the infamous Murph the Surf, one of the most cunning cat burglars in history, and the other evening, over a beer, I sat down to read it.

This guy, known as Murph the Surf, was most well known for the part he played in masterminding the biggest jewellery heist in recent years. It has always fascinated me how these guys orchestrated these robberies and while what they did was terrible, the meticulous planning and intelligent organisation have to be commended.

I couldn’t help but smile when I read about the twenty-two jewels that were stolen from the New York Natural History Museum. I thought how clever these men were and wondered about the security in the museum that must have been so easy to overcome.

A Taste for Rubies

In true old-fashioned robbery style, the jewels were ransomed for phenomenal sums of money and recovered in a phone box in Florida. Yes, I know, this makes a great story, but the fact is this was true, and when I discovered that Murph the Surf had a particular penchant for rubies I was even more intrigued, especially as L and I love the idea of a ruby engagement ring.

I couldn’t believe that Murph the Surf didn’t stop there. He went on to commit even more spectacular robberies, but I guess for people of a certain mentality, the thrill of what they are doing is what keeps them going. The stakes must get ever higher until finally they crack. I read on.

In the late 1960s, our jewel thief broke into Olive Wofford’s home and forced her, at gunpoint, to open the safe. I would have loved to witness the car chase that followed, as it was reportedly pretty thrilling, even if it did end up with Murph driving his car into a set of French doors. Murph took his jewellery thieving game a step too far in the end, though, when he murdered two secretaries while on a job. It was bound to happen, I suppose, and it led to his arrest and imprisonment in 1970.

And the story doesn’t end there. Murph was the model prisoner who found God while he was inside and, on his release in 2000, started to tour prisons to spread the Word. It just shows that a leopard can change his spots, although if I bumped into Mr Murphy with L wearing a ruby engagement ring, I would keep him at arms’ length.

This was a fascinating article but, on a serious note, I must start looking into insurance for the ring we will eventually buy. We may never bump into Murph the Surf, but I bet he is not the only opportunist out there who has an eye for a ruby engagement ring.

Frank L Orman is the founder of the F&L Designer Guides, compiled and written to help consumers choose a unique engagement ring design. From diamond to ruby engagement rings, from a princess cut to a platinum band, we have ideas and opinions covering all the options. Offering advice, tips and suggestions on how to choose that perfect ring, F&L will accompany you on every stage of your search to find the right designer.

Writer and Online Marketing Manager in London.