MIAMI BEACH, FLA. (WSVN) - A tourist who traveled thousands of miles to experience South Beach said he was targeted by a woman who, he said, stole his Rolex watch and $2,000 in cash on his first night in town.
Pascal Siegenthalar thought he was spending his 10-day vacation on Miami Beach stress free.
“I wanted to party. I wanted to enjoy the beach, eat some food and just relax,” he said.
Instead, the Swiss resident’s getaway left him out more than $16,000.
“I was pissed, totally pissed,” he said. “I didn’t know what to do.”
Siegenthalar said his nightmare began Tuesday night, when he and some friends left dinner and headed to Mr. Jones, a club on Lincoln Road.
After a few hours, he said, he and his friends decided to head back. That’s when he came across the woman who, he said, ripped him off.
“She wanted to pay for my taxi, and I was, ‘OK, I’ll give you a drink for that, and I’ll give you the money back when we’re in the room,'” said Siegenthalar.
The two then headed back to where he was staying, an apartment complex located on Jefferson Avenue, just a few blocks away from Lincoln Road.
Siegenthalar said she invited the woman inside.
“She poured the wine, and she gave me the cup, and then suddenly I felt very dizzy,” he said.
Five hours later, the tourist said, he woke up, and the woman was gone. Frantic, he immediately realized she took off with thousands in cash and his expensive watch.
“She took my Rolex watch, worth $14,000. She took $2,000 in cash and my business phone,” he said.
Now, as police hunt down this woman, Siegenthalar said he’s using this incident as a lesson for anyone who comes across this alleged thief.
“I will never get my watch back, I know, and I will never get my $2,000 in cash back and never my phone back,” he said. “I can just hope that it will not happen again for others.”
If you recognize this woman or have any information on this theft, call Miami-Dade Crime Stoppers at 305-471-TIPS. Remember, you can always remain anonymous, and you may be eligible for a $1,000 reward.
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