Grandparents' $175K Crime Spree: Florida Couple Busted

This sweet Florida couple wasn’t just enjoying retirement—they were running a six-figure theft operation from their living room! 🌐 #News #FortMyersFL #Florida #Crime

FORT MYERS, FL – To their neighbors, Dick and Gail Murtaugh seemed like the kind of Florida couple who spent their golden years gardening and feeding stray cats. Sweet as apple pie, right? But behind their folksy smiles, these silver-haired schemers were running a lucrative criminal operation.

Online shopping offers convenience, but for these geriatric grifters, it became the perfect cover for theft. On Tuesday, Richard, 81, and Gail, 77, pleaded guilty to stealing merchandise from local stores and reselling it through their eBay store, “dickandgail.” Their unlikely scheme serves as proof that you’re never too old for trouble.

A Couple’s Unusual Crime Spree

Authorities say the Murtaughs launched their operation at least as early as September 2020. They stole merchandise from grocery stores and big box retailers across Collier and Lee counties. The variety of stolen items was extensive—personal hygiene products, nicotine items, dental care supplies, over-the-counter medications, and even drill bits.

Despite their age, the couple’s criminal activity was captured multiple times on surveillance footage between 2021 and 2022, showing them walking out with unpaid merchandise.

Stealing to Stock Their Online Store

Instead of keeping the goods, the Murtaughs took to eBay to turn theft into profit. Between December 2020 and May 2022, their store, “dickandgail,” became an unlikely front for stolen goods. Records from eBay reveal that the couple made $175,621.31 in profits during this period.

The Search Warrant that Unraveled the Scheme

The scheme unraveled in April 2022, when the U.S. Postal Inspection Service searched the couple’s home on Isle of Capri in Naples. Investigators discovered thousands of dollars’ worth of stolen items. The Murtaughs’ iPads held further incriminating evidence, including photos of the stolen merchandise matching listings from their eBay store.

The Legal Consequences

Both Richard and Gail Murtaugh pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit mail fraud, a federal charge carrying a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison. As part of their plea agreement, they agreed to forfeit the $175,621.31 they earned from selling the stolen items.

The sentencing date has not yet been set, but the elderly couple faces the possibility of spending their final years behind bars.

A Warning About Fraud in the Digital Age

This case highlights the risks retailers face from theft operations that blend offline crime with online platforms. The couple’s success on eBay is a reminder that fraud can thrive in the digital age if buyers and sellers aren’t vigilant.