Bail Blog
02/15/2013
A 47-year-old man accused of stealing wallets from women’s purses is in jail because he forgot his own wallet and ID at the scene of the crime.
Stephen Eric Maxwell frequented bars and restaurants in Florida to meet women and then stealing wallets from their purses when they were distracted. Until one night, Maxwell was chatting up a woman in a bar, who then danced with someone else on the dance floor. The woman looked over and saw the wallet-thief digging through her purse. When she ran over to interrupt and confront him, he fled but left his own wallet with the picture ID behind.
“The ID card had the name and photograph of Stephen Maxwell on it,” the judge said. “[Detectives] also looked at the closed circuit TV [recording], which showed you allegedly reaching into her purse and leaving your wallet on the bar.”
Maxwell used the cash and credit cards from his thefts for items including cigarettes, alcohol and mobile phone cards. On at least three occasions, he also used the pilfered funds to make a $1 donation to the American Diabetes Association.
Maxwell is charged with grand theft and using stolen credit cards, and ordered to be held without bail because of his “ongoing criminal activity” and lack of apprehension about “taking women’s purses and wallets.”