Lynda Mae Crouse, 32, was charged with second-degree felony grand theft after a man reported his gold 40 mm Rolex Presidential—appraised at $98,400—was missing following a night together on April 12. The man said he felt "funny" and suspected he had been drugged; he later identified Crouse in a photo lineup. Investigators referenced four similar Miami‑Dade cases, including one with a positive zolpidem toxicology result. Crouse was arrested Sept. 11; bond was set at $2,500 and the case remains active.
Miami Woman Charged After Nearly $100,000 Rolex Allegedly Disappears Following Night Together
Policed vehicle lights (stock photo)Credit: Getty
Lynda Mae Crouse, 32, has been charged with second-degree felony grand theft after a man reported his gold Rolex Presidential—appraised at $98,400—was missing following a night they spent together, court documents show.
According to a probable cause affidavit from the Hallandale Beach Police Department, the encounter began shortly after midnight on April 12 at the Carousel Club at Gulfstream Park. The two exchanged Instagram information and later reunited when the man arranged an Uber to bring Crouse from her residence to his home. The pair spent time together and consumed alcoholic beverages, the affidavit says.
Allegations and Timeline
The man told investigators that while he went to his bedroom to change, he suddenly felt unusually tired and "funny." He also reported hearing a clapping noise from the living room. When he returned, Crouse appeared different and said she was leaving; he fell asleep shortly after she left. When he woke several hours later, he said he still felt unwell and suspected he had been drugged.
The man checked a Rolex box in his living room and discovered the watch was missing. The timepiece is described in the affidavit as a 40 mm gold Rolex Presidential with baguette diamond hour markers and a diamond-covered bezel. The victim provided a signed appraisal valuing the watch at $98,400.
Investigation And Related Cases
Investigators say the man later identified Crouse from a six-person photographic lineup. The affidavit also cites four other active Miami-Dade County cases that police described as similar: in each, authorities allege, men wearing expensive watches were targeted at bars or nightclubs, later accompanied to homes or hotels, and subsequently discovered the watches missing.
One Miami case referenced in the affidavit reportedly included toxicology testing that detected zolpidem, a prescription sleep aid. Investigators said those symptoms resembled the effects described by the Hallandale Beach victim. In this Hallandale Beach investigation, however, no toxicology test was performed and the victim did not seek medical treatment.
Arrest, Charges And Case Status
Crouse was arrested on Sept. 11 in Hollywood, Florida, after a Seminole Police Department officer encountered her while responding to an unrelated trespassing call. A records check revealed an outstanding Broward County warrant tied to the alleged theft, and she was taken to the Broward County Sheriff’s Office jail.
She faces a second-degree felony grand theft charge for property valued at more than $20,000 but less than $100,000. A Broward County magistrate found probable cause on Sept. 14, set bond at $2,500 and ordered Crouse to have no contact with the victim. Court records indicate the case remains active.
Note: PEOPLE and local authorities were cited in the original reporting. The Hallandale Beach Police Department had not immediately commented, according to the reporting outlet.
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