It’s the Old Mickey With a New Twist

Newport Beach police say that the world’s oldest profession may have rediscovered the oldest trick in the book--spiking a man’s drink to knock him out and rob him.

The latest victim of such a scam, and the sixth one this year in Orange County, was Arizona businessman Lee Miles, who according to police was attending a conference last Thursday at a Newport Beach hotel.

The two female suspects made Miles’ acquaintance in the hotel bar, police said. After chatting with the two women, Miles, 56, invited them up to his room and, at their request, ordered drinks from room service. The next morning, police said, Miles was found unconscious on his bed. Missing were his gold nugget ring, a Rolex watch, a credit card and cash.

The women, who police said hinted that sexual favors might follow the drinks, apparently slipped a potent tranquilizer into Lee’s cocktail, rendering him unconscious. Miles was discovered by a hotel security worker after his business associates expressed concern that he had not shown for an early-morning meeting, according to Newport Beach Vice Officer Jim Kaminsky.

Police believe that Miles was the victim of an old crime with a new twist.

“It happened years ago--that’s where the term “mickey” came from,” said Kaminsky, adding that Miles finally came to hours after he was taken by ambulance to Costa Mesa Community Hospital. The new element, he said, is narcotics.

The New Twist

He said women, usually prostitutes, who try to drug their male customers have been using two prescriptions drugs: scopolamine hydrobromide and lorazepan.

Santa Ana pharmacist Tim McGinnis said scopolamine hydrobromide is used to combat seasickness. Lorazepan, known by the trade name of Atavan, is an “anti-anxiety agent similar to Valium,” he added. Kaminsky said that this type of crime is prevalent in major American cities but often goes unreported because many of the victims, particularly married men, are too embarrassed to call police.

In Los Angeles, police have reported 20 so-called knockout cases in the last two years.

“Guys used to give the Mickey (Finn knockout drops) to the girls for sex,” said Los Angeles Vice Detective Alan Vanderpool. “Now it’s the reverse. But it’s not for sex, it’s to rob them.”

According to the Dictionary of American Slang, the term Mickey Finn has been used since the 1930s and refers to any strong pill, drops or potions given to an unsuspecting person in an alcoholic drink to render the individual unconscious.

Two months ago, a Los Angeles undercover officer posing as a wealthy businessman at the Los Angeles International Airport Hilton was wooed by a woman who slipped drugs into his drink, Vanderpool said.

“She indicated she wanted to celebrate, and when she got to his room she put some type of drug in his drink,” Vanderpool said. Although the woman kept saying, “drink your drink, drink your drink,” the officer declined.

The woman, who wasn’t identified, eventually pleaded guilty to attempted robbery but left town before reporting for a one-year jail sentence, Vanderpool said.

“She skipped and went to Phoenix and did the exact same thing there and was arrested again,” the detective said.

Vanderpool pointed out that most of the women who put drugs in drinks are former or current prostitutes who are seeking out men with expensive jewelry. He noted that a a gold Rolex watch can be pawned for $2,000. The typical perpetrator, he said, will pretend she is a professional woman from out of state, looking for company.

“The victim will think this is his lucky day,” Vanderpool said. “He’s got a nice-looking woman who will eventually go to his room and not charge him anything.”

In addition to robbery, suspects could be charged with attempted poisoning and attempted murder if the victim winds up close to death, Vanderpool added.

Asked about the three knockout incidents that have occurred in Newport Beach so far this year, Police Chief Arb Campbell said Tuesday: “I don’t know if we have a ring operating in Orange County or more women are learning this as a technique to use, and it’s becoming more popular.

‘Fun and Games’

“They lead the guy to believe there will be fun and games and then take their money,” Campbell said. “This way, they avoid the (prostitution) act and achieve their goal.”

Police said they have no leads as to who drugged and robbed Miles, just a scant description of a blonde woman by the hotel waiter who brought the drinks to Miles’ room. No arrests have been made in the two other similar Newport Beach incidents, both of which occurred in January.

Police declined to name the MacArthur Boulevard hotel, saying they didn’t want to jeopardize any ongoing law enforcement operations.