Courthouse crime blotter: A lawyer's wallet is stolen at trial, another reports Rolex restroom theft
Lawyers in Kansas and Florida recently learned that their belongings aren’t safe in the courthouse—even in the midst of a trial.
A defense lawyer in Leavenworth, Kansas, had his wallet stolen from his briefcase during a trial in March. The perpetrator was sentenced on Wednesday, report the Kansas City Star and Fox4KC.com.
Lawyer Michael Mogenson initially thought he had misplaced his wallet, according to the Kansas City Star. After his stolen credit card was used to buy gas and about $350 worth of merchandise from K-Mart, police checked the courtroom video, which pointed to Theresa Quest, 51, as the culprit.
Quest had come to the trial to support Mogenson’s client, who was accused of selling marijuana and assaulting a police officer. Quest pleaded no contest and was sentenced on Wednesday to two days in jail. She had no prior criminal record.
The scene of the crime in Ocala, Fla., was a courthouse restroom, according to the Ocala Star Banner. Lawyer Parvesh Bobby Rumalla told police on Monday that he took off his Rolex Submariner to wash his hands, then turned around to dry his hands. When he turned back to the sink, the watch was gone. Three other men were in the restroom at the time.
The watch was valued at $13,450.