HALLENDALE BEACH, Fla. (CBS12) — A 20-minute chat over drinks at a trendy South Florida club ended in a high-stakes heist, a spiked drink, and a missing $98,000 Rolex.
According to Broward County court records, 32-year-old Lynda Mae Crouse was arrested and charged with strong-arm robbery without a firearm and grand theft following an early-morning encounter on April 12.
Officers with the Hallandale Beach Police Department say the incident began when the victim struck up a conversation with Crouse at the Carousel Club inside Gulfstream Park.
The pair swapped Instagram handles and went their separate ways, but the night was far from over. About an hour later, the victim ordered an Uber to pick Crouse up from her Miami apartment and bring her to his home.
After sharing a few more drinks, the host stepped into his bedroom to change into comfortable clothes, leaving Crouse alone in the living room.
Moments later, he began to feel unnaturally sluggish and disoriented—far beyond the effects of the alcohol he had consumed. While in the bedroom, he heard a sharp “clapping sound” from the living room.
See also: Former Jupiter Dunes manager accused of funneling $200K to personal accounts, purchases
When he staggered back out, Crouse’s demeanor had shifted. She abruptly announced she was leaving, and within minutes of her departure, the victim blacked out entirely.
Hours later, the victim woke up feeling groggy, confused, and convinced he had been drugged. Remembering the mysterious clapping noise, he rushed to check the living room watch box he had left near Crouse.
His prized 40mm Gold Rolex Presidential—complete with baguette diamond hour markers and a diamond-covered bezel appraised at $98,400—was gone.
Police believe the clapping sound was the heavy lid of the watch box slamming shut. Investigators soon discovered this was far from an isolated incident. Police records revealed Crouse is connected to at least four similar active cases across Aventura, Miami Beach, and the City of Miami.
Authorities say her modus operandi involves targeting men wearing luxury timepieces at high-end venues, accompanying them home, and surreptitiously slipping sedatives into their drinks.
In one previous City of Miami case, toxicology reports confirmed the presence of Zolpidem, a rapid-acting prescription sleep aid.
After the victim positively identified Crouse in a photo lineup, police moved in. She now faces serious felony charges in Broward County as investigators piece together the full scope of her alleged multi-county crime spree.