Three-year sentence for Lynn man who stole coffee shop tip jar

SALEM – A Lynn man who admitted he was armed with a gun when he stole two jars of tip money containing about $70 from the counter of a Dunkin’ Donuts on Western Avenue will spend up to three years in state prison.Harold Murray, 25, of 9 Autumn St., #1, Lynn, appeared Wednesday afternoon in Salem Superior Court changing his plea of not guilty to guilty to armed robbery and attempted unarmed robbery in connection with a holdup at the Dunkin’ Donuts last September.He was sentenced to serve not less than two years and not more than three years in state prison by Judge David A. Lowy.Upon his release from prison, Murray will be on probation for another five years with the conditions he receive drug treatment and mental health treatment as deemed necessary by the probation department, consent to random screenings and be employed full time or have five pending job applications on file.It was around 10:45 a.m., on Sept. 26 when Murray walked into the Dunkin’ Donuts at 50 Western Ave., wearing a white logo sweatshirt and sunglasses. He walked up to the front counter, with his hands under his sweatshirt indicating he had a gun, and twice said to the female attendant “Give me the money.”The woman, in fear, quickly told him she did not have the key to open the register. Murray then grabbed two jars containing tip money from the counter and fled from the scene.When police arrived, a witness told police she saw a man fitting the description of the robber run into a home nearby at 629 Eastern Ave.Police found Murray in a bedroom in the home, along with the two tip jars, containing bills and coins, a pair of sunglasses and a sweatshirt.When Lynn Police officer Timothy Nerich tried to fingerprint Murray at the station, Murray tried unsuccessfully to steal Nerich’s service weapon from its holster.He was quickly tackled to the ground and subdued.”Just kill me. I just want to die. I wasn’t going to kill you,” Murray told police upon being subdued, stated Assistant District Attorney Marsha H. Slingerland from a police report.Slingerland, who was seeking a four-to-six-year sentence, pointed to his past record, which includes assault crimes, as well as the nature of the offense.Defense lawyer Rebecca Whitehill asked for a two year sentence and a lesser probationary term, which the judge rejected.The judge credited Murray the 162 days he has spent in jail while held on bail awaiting trial.