Authorities: Shoplifting tequila leads to eventual arrest of man eluding police

Tequila apparently was the downfall of a man who Round Lake Park police say had eluded them for several days.

Officers had been looking for Gary E. Reiher, 33, because they suspected he had violated an order of protection filed by his ex-girlfriend, police said.

During the search, Reiher, of the 500 block of Eisenhower Street in Marengo, apparently left his ex-girlfriend's cellphone active, enabling officers to find it on the front porch of her house, police said. However, the officers did not find Reiher.

On Saturday, officers went to the ex-girlfriend's house because a door was open with a flat-screen TV lying nearby. Reiher escaped arrest because the officers were called to another emergency, police said.

Finally, officers arrested Reiher after they were called to a liquor store on the 100 block of East Main Street in Round Lake Park about 7:20 p.m. Monday, police said. Reiher is accused of attempting to use his ex-girlfriend's credit card, which was declined, then grabbing bottles of Patron Tequila and running from the store.

Police reported seeing Reiher run from the store and eventually arrested him at his ex-girlfriend's house.

Reiher is charged with retail theft, resisting a police officer, violation of order of protection warrant and failure to appear on a retail theft warrant out of McHenry County.