A woman who was in Las Vegas for a court hearing regarding theft charges in June for stealing a $US100,000 ($146,000) watch was arrested again for stealing a $17,500 watch and hiding it inside herself, according to US authorities.
Baltimore woman Sarah Richards, 33, faces charges of theft over $US100,000 in value, residential burglary, grand larceny of $US100,000 or more, administering drugs to aid in the commission of a felony and grand larceny between $US5000 to $US25,000.
The Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department’s records state the following series of events for June 4.
A woman was arrested on Sunday for allegedly stealing a $17,000 Rolex watch and hiding it inside herself.
Police responded to a hotel on Las Vegas Boulevard.
The security investigator at the hotel told officers a guest had woken up to his belongings missing after taking an unknown woman to his room.
The alleged victim told police he suspected he had been drugged by the suspect – later to be named as Richards – sometime between midnight and 7am.
He believed she stole his Patek Philippe wristwatch valued at $146,000.
He said he met Richards that night and they bought a bottle of champagne to drink while gambling.
He said Richards carried the bottle the entire time – even when it was out of view.
The alleged victim recalled “the female said she needed help with money,” and he offered her $1400.
He tried to retrieve some money from the safe in his hotel room but couldn’t remember the code – so he contacted security who assisted him in opening the safe.
He gave her the $1400 and then locked the safe again, the report stated.
He fell asleep and woke up to find his watch missing from his wrist.
Investigators went to his room and collected the champagne bottle and glasses for testing.
Sarah Richards, 33, of Baltimore, was in Las Vegas, met the men she allegedly stole watches from at a Las Vegas hotel.
The next day, an undercover officer was approached by Richards at a nearby hotel.
A records check at the time showed Richards had outstanding warrants for prostitution.
She was eventually taken into custody.
In an interview with police, Richards said she remembered meeting the man and that he gave her money but denied stealing the watch.
She was booked for grand larceny and posted bail of $4370 a few days later.
On Monday, Richards was set to appear for her preliminary hearing in court.
However, on Sunday police responded to another hotel on South Las Vegas Boulevard.
A caller to 911 told authorities a woman – again later identified as Richards – had stolen items from his room and he could not get them back.
Security found Richards and despite searching her person, could not find a stolen $17,500 wristwatch.
The alleged victim told investigators he had met Richards in the hotel and later went to his room to drink wine.
She said he should take his Rolex off because it “would cut her” if he left it on.
The man said he began to feel tired after Richards insisted he drink more wine, and began to doze off.
He later noticed his watch was missing and confronted Richards about it.
Richards panicked, he said, and left the room – walking down the hall at a different gait than before – taking shorter steps now.
When officers checked the room, they did not find the watch but did find the man’s wine glass with a white powdery substance at the bottom.
They asked Richards as to why they, the police, would be called to the hotel – she insisted she did not have the Rolex.
A metal detector wand passed over her “kept alarming around her vaginal region”.
Richards agreed to take the watch out.
“She stated that we were going to find it anyways at jail and she did not want to go through the hassle.”
The watch was placed into a biohazard bag and was impounded.
Police also found a pill capsule that had a white powdery substance inside on Richards.
Her Monday court hearing was cancelled.
She has since posted bail and her next court hearing is scheduled for January 10.
