Thief steals Miss Nevada crown from Reno hotel room

Thief steals Miss Nevada crown

RENO, Nev. — Miss Nevada might not have a crown at her coronation Saturday.

Organizers say the crown, almost identical to the one worn by Miss America, was stolen Thursday from the locked Reno hotel room of a pageant board member.

The crown had arrived earlier in the day from K.A. Concepts, the official maker of Miss America crowns.

Pageant spokeswoman Teresa Benitez-Thompson says the company makes one crown for each state, and getting a replacement before Saturday night is impossible.

She says Circus Circus hotel security is going through security tapes, and organizers will not press charges if the crown is returned in good condition before the pageant.

The crown, valued at $400, is fitted with rhinestones.

Information from: Reno Gazette-Journal, www.rgj.com