Lynda Mae Crouse has been arrested for allegedly drugging a man and stealing his diamond-studded Rolex in a scheme authorities say she has repeated multiple times.
Crouse, 32, of Florida, was taken into custody Friday for the April 12 theft in Hallandale Beach, according to Broward County arrest records. She is accused of targeting wealthy men she meets at nightlife venues, flirting her way into their homes or hotel rooms, then slipping them drugs and making off with luxury timepieces before they regain consciousness.
The latest victim met Crouse around midnight at the Carousel Club, where the pair exchanged contact information before parting ways, court documents state. He later sent an Uber to her home to bring her to his place, where they began drinking together.
The man told investigators he began feeling “funny” and “extremely tired” after stepping away to change his clothes, according to a probable cause affidavit. The last thing he heard before losing consciousness was a clapping sound from his living room and Crouse making excuses to leave.
Hours later, the victim woke in a fog and immediately checked on his watch, suspecting the noise he heard was Crouse opening the lid of his Rolex box, the affidavit states. His 40 mm diamond-bedazzled Rolex Presidential, valued at $98,400, was gone. He later identified Crouse in a photo lineup, according to court documents.
This was not an isolated incident. Crouse has four other open cases in Dade County with strikingly similar circumstances, records show. In each instance, victims reported taking her home and later waking up disoriented to discover their expensive wristwatches missing.
In one of those cases, a toxicology report revealed the victim had been drugged with zolpidem, a prescription sleep aid known to cause rapid sedation, confusion and memory impairment, particularly when combined with alcohol Miami.
Crouse was charged with grand theft and posted her $2,000 bond, records show. No attorney information was available for her at the time of her arrest, and she could not be reached for comment.
The pattern suggests a calculated approach: Crouse allegedly identifies affluent men at upscale venues, cultivates enough trust to be invited back to their residences, then exploits that access to incapacitate them and steal high-value items they are unlikely to notice until hours after she has departed.
Law enforcement in two counties now have active cases against her, with the Hallandale Beach arrest adding Broward County to the jurisdiction tally. The repeated nature of the accusations, spanning multiple victims across separate incidents, indicates authorities have been building a case against her for some time.
The April 12 theft stands out for the exceptionally high value of the stolen timepiece and the detailed account the victim provided after regaining consciousness, including his immediate recognition of what the clapping sound likely signified.
Crouse’s next court appearance has not been publicly scheduled.