SWAMPSCOTT — Police are seeking charges against Sean Murphy, of Lynn, for larceny by false pretense and violating the Stolen Valor Act after he was found posing as a military veteran and asking for money outside of Whole Foods in Vinnin Square last week.
Swampscott Police received a call from a Navy veteran and former corrections officer, who said he wanted to help out Murphy, whom he believed to be a veteran. The Navy veteran quickly realized after speaking with Murphy that he was a former inmate whom he once supervised and had never served.
Murphy, 57, is a self-proclaimed “master thief” who spent more than 10 years in prison for stealing a collection of championship rings from the E.A. Dion Inc. manufacturing plant in Attleboro. Murphy stole the rings after the New York Giants won the Super Bowl against the New England Patriots in 2007.
Murphy stole $2 million worth of gold and jewelry and more than a dozen rings, including one he claimed belonged to Michael Strahan.
He gave one of the rings to a former girlfriend, an act that ultimately led to his home being raided by police in 2009.
He was also arrested for the robbery of a Brinks facility in Columbus, Ohio in 2009.
Murphy recently completed his jail time for these offenses, and is currently on probation.
During his time at Whole Foods last week, where he posed as a veteran, Murphy was wearing camo shorts, a green Marine Corps T-shirt, a camo hat with two Marine Corps pins, and one Marine Corps veteran pin, according to Swampscott Police Officer J. Cassidy Jr., who reported to the scene.
Cassidy said he also believed Murphy to be a veteran of the armed forces based on his appearance and presentation and was informed that Murphy was working with a “political petition” out of Peabody to collect signatures for homeless veterans. Murphy also had a jar on the table to collect money, which he described as being there for tips.
Cassidy asked Murphy if he was a veteran, which he denied, before he proceeded to call the number Murphy gave him for the organization he was collecting signatures for.
The number was not for the organization Murphy stated, and he was asked to leave the premises.
Cassidy said Murphy’s probation officer was notified of the situation and explained that charges would be taken out against Murphy.
Swampscott Police said a court date has not been determined yet.
