Historical Event on 1/8/1964

Jack ""Murph the Surf"" Murphy, 27, and a companion were arrested in Miami as suspects in the theft of $410,000 rare gems from the American Museum of Natural History in October of last year. The world's largest sapphire, the Star of India, and eight of the other 22 stolen gems were returned to New York in an attorney's coat pocket, having been recovered in two water-logged suede pouches from a Miami bus terminal locker with the help of a third suspect. The three described themselves as ""beach boys."" Murphy is a sometimes an aquatic clown, but mainly they were notorious jewel thieves. Murphy was also accused of pistol-whipping actress Eva Gabor and stealing jewels worth $50,000 from her a year ago.