A Florida woman has been charged with grand theft after police said a man she met during a night out later lost consciousness and woke up to find his nearly $100,000 Rolex missing.
Lynda Mae Crouse, 32, was arrested Friday in connection with an alleged theft in Hallandale Beach, according to arrest records cited in the source material.
Casino Meetup Led to an Uber Ride Home
The case began around midnight on April 12 at the Carousel Club, where Crouse allegedly met a man and exchanged contact information with him, according to court documents.
The two reportedly left the club separately. The man later sent an Uber to bring Crouse from her home to his residence, the documents state.
Once there, the two began drinking. According to a probable cause affidavit, the man said he stepped away to change clothes and then began feeling “funny” and “extremely tired.”
A Clapping Sound, Then a Missing Watch
The man recalled hearing a clapping sound from his living room and Crouse saying she was leaving, according to the affidavit. He said that was the last thing he remembered before passing out.
When he woke up hours later, he went to check his watch box because he suspected the sound had been the lid opening. His 40mm diamond Rolex Presidential, valued at $98,400, was gone, according to the affidavit.
Investigators said the man later identified Crouse in a photo lineup.
Police Allege Similar Cases in Two Counties
Authorities said Crouse has four other open cases in Miami-Dade County involving a similar alleged pattern: victims brought her home, lost consciousness, and woke to discover expensive watches were missing.
In one of those cases, a toxicology report found the victim had been drugged with zolpidem, a sleep aid that can cause rapid sedation, confusion, and memory loss, especially when mixed with alcohol, according to NBC Miami.
Crouse was charged with grand theft. Her bond was set at $2,000, which she paid.
No attorney was listed for Crouse in court records, and she could not be reached for comment, according to the source material.
