Interim police chief’s son charged with vehicle grand theft
The son of interim Cape Coral Police Chief Jay Murphy remained in jail Friday for allegedly being in possession of a stolen vehicle.
Michael Kevin Murphy, 33, was arrested and charged Tuesday with one count of grand theft of a motor vehicle, a felony charge. He was being held at the Lee County Jail on $20,000 bond as of Friday, according to booking records.
The police chief declined to comment on his son’s arrest Friday afternoon.
A man with Murphy was also arrested and charged Tuesday on one count of grand theft of a motor vehicle. Milton Earl Thomas, 42, of 4636 New Haven Drive, Fort Myers, remained at the jail Friday. Thomas has been denied bond on two prior charges that date back to Aug. 3.
According to a Lee County Sheriff’s Office report, a detective with the department observed one of the men pulling on the door handles of a 2000 Toyota Sienna and then walking around and reaching into the van at a Circle K, located in the 3000 block of Cleveland Avenue in Fort Myers.
The detective ran the tag number of the vehicle, which came back stolen.
Authorities approached Murphy and Thomas, and one of the men allegedly said he knew the van was stolen. Surveillance video from the gas station showed the two men pulling into the parking lot and exiting the van, the report states.
The owner of the vehicle responded to the scene. He said he did not know either man inside his van and told deputies that he wanted to press charges.
Murphy and Thomas each have a court date set for Nov. 1.
Thomas also has a court date of Oct. 13 for August charges — one count of larceny retail theft alone or coordinates with others, a felony, and one count of resist property recovery by retail merchant or farmer, a misdemeanor.
Neither Murphy nor Thomas could be reached for comment Friday.