Florida woman Lynda Mae Crouse, 32, allegedly drugged a man she met at Gulfstream Park before stealing his diamond-covered Rolex worth $98,400.
A Florida woman allegedly drugged a man she met during a night out at a casino complex before making off with his dazzling Rolex worth nearly $100,000.
The Rolex owner may not be the only victim as authorities are now investigating the suspect in connection with four other strikingly similar cases.
Lynda Mae Crouse, 32, was arrested on Friday on robbery and grand theft charges stemming from the April encounter at Gulfstream Park in Hallandale Beach, Florida.
The alleged victim told investigators he first crossed paths with Crouse on April 12 at the Carousel Club, an outdoor venue at the sprawling racing and casino complex.
The pair exchanged Instagram accounts before later arranging to meet again, according to an arrest report.
The man subsequently ordered an Uber to Crouse's address to pick her up and bring her to his home.
Once there, the pair began drinking together but the man insisted to investigators that he had not consumed anywhere near enough alcohol to explain what happened next.
At one point during the evening, he left Crouse alone in his living room while he went into his bedroom to change.
Florida woman Lynda Mae Crouse, 32, allegedly drugged a man she met at Gulfstream Park before stealing his diamond-covered Rolex worth $98,400
Investigators say Crouse allegedly targeted men wearing expensive watches at bars and clubs. Pictured, Gulfstream Park Casino in Hallandale Beach, Florida
The alleged victim told investigators he first crossed paths with Crouse on April 12 at the Carousel Club in Hallandale Beach, Florida
It was after returning that the night allegedly took a disturbing turn.
The man told investigators he began feeling 'funny' and 'extremely tired' and recalled hearing an unusual clapping sound coming from the living room.
When he went back into the room, he allegedly noticed that Crouse was behaving differently.
She then announced that she was going home, according to the arrest report.
The man told investigators he felt his own condition was deteriorating rapidly as he suddenly became increasingly tired and confused before quickly falling asleep.
Several hours later, he woke up with a nagging suspicion that something was seriously wrong.
The man told authorities he still felt strange and believed he had been drugged.
His thoughts immediately turned to his collection of valuables and, specifically, his expensive watch.
Authorities described the missing Rolex as a gold 40mm Presidential featuring baguette diamond hour markers and round diamonds covering the entire bezel with a value of $98,400
When he checked his Rolex box, he discovered that the luxury timepiece had vanished.
Authorities described the missing Rolex as a gold 40mm Presidential featuring baguette diamond hour markers and round diamonds covering the entire bezel with a value of $98,400.
The man subsequently identified Crouse from a photo lineup.
Investigators allege the Gulfstream Park encounter may be far from an isolated incident.
Authorities said Crouse is also linked to four other active cases in Miami-Dade County, including investigations in Aventura, Miami and Miami Beach.
Those cases allegedly follow a similar pattern, with authorities claiming Crouse appears to target men wearing high-end watches at bars and clubs before using a sedative to incapacitate them and steal valuables.
In one of those other cases, investigators said toxicology testing on an alleged victim detected zolpidem.
Those cases allegedly follow a similar pattern, with authorities claiming Crouse appears to target men wearing high-end watches at bars and clubs before using a sedative to incapacitate them and steal valuables. Pictured, Gulfstream Park Casino and racetrack in Hallandale, Florida
The prescription sleep medication is a sedative that can cause rapid drowsiness as well as confusion and memory impairment, effects that can be heightened when it is combined with alcohol.
The allegations are reminiscent of a type of theft sometimes referred to by law enforcement as a 'bad date' crime, in which a victim meets someone socially before becoming incapacitated and discovering valuables missing afterward.
In the April case, the man confirmed that although he had initially been drinking with Crouse, he maintained the quantity of alcohol he consumed would not ordinarily have caused him to black out.
Investigators ultimately arrested Crouse months after the alleged encounter.
She was booked into jail Friday on charges of robbery and grand theft before later being released on $2,000 bond.