LAUDERDALE-BY-THE-SEA, FL -- Police in Florida said they jugged a man accused of stealing wallets from women's purses, leaving his own wallet and ID behind at the scene.Oops.
The Lauderdale-by-the-Sea police report said Stephen Maxwell, 47, made off with wallets from women's purses at bars and restaurants on several occasions starting Nov. 29 and his spree continued until Saturday, when a woman interrupted him while he was digging through her purse and he made like a Berkeley professor and left, leaving his own wallet behind, the South Florida Sun Sentinel reported Tuesday.
"The ID card had the name and photograph of Stephen Maxwell on it," Judge John "Jay" Hurley said Monday, reading aloud from the arrest report.
...between attempts to suppress laughter, I'd guess.
"[Detectives] also looked at the closed circuit TV [recording], which showed you allegedly reaching into her purse and leaving your wallet on the bar," Hurley told Maxwell.
"You're busted, beauzeau."
Police said Maxwell, who Hurley ordered to be held without bail, used the cash and credit cards from his thefts for items including cigarettes, alcohol and mobile phone cards. He also used pilfered funds to make $1 donations to the American Diabetes Association on at least three occasions, investigators said.
| Something his appointed legal counsel is sure to bring up. |