Robbery Med for Depression 27/12/2005 Florida Top Relief Pitcher Robs Jewelry Store
Summary:
Paragraph 1 reads: "Jeff Reardon, one of the top relief pitchers in baseball history, apologized to officers and blamed medication he is taking for depression when he was arrested for a jewelry store robbery, police said today."
http://www.news-press.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20051227/NEWS01/51227010/1075
PALM BEACH GARDENS — Jeff Reardon, one of the top relief pitchers in baseball history, apologized to officers and blamed medication he is taking for depression when he was arrested for a jewelry store robbery, police said today.
The 50-year-old Reardon, who ranks sixth in career saves, walked into Hamilton Jewelers at the Gardens Mall on Monday and handed an employee a note saying he had a gun and the store was being robbed, according to Palm Beach Gardens police.
Reardon, who starred with the Montreal Expos, Minnesota Twins and Boston Red Sox, fled the store with an undisclosed amount of cash.
Police found him at a nearby restaurant, recovered the stolen money and charged him with armed robbery.
Lt. David O’Neill said Reardon did not have a gun and offered no resistance when he was handcuffed.
“He said it was the medication that made him do it and that he was sorry,” O’Neill said. He said Reardon has lived in the city for more than 20 years and has never caused any problems.
Reardon, who made more than $11.5 million in his career, according to baseball-reference.com, was not having any known financial problems, O’Neill said. He said Reardon had a son who died of a drug overdose several years ago.
The four-time All-Star was 73-77 with 367 saves and a 3.16 ERA in 16 seasons with the New York Mets, Expos, Twins, Red Sox, Atlanta Braves, Cincinnati Reds and New York Yankees.
He had a save in the Twins’ 1987 World Series victory over St. Louis and also appeared in the 1992 series with Atlanta.
Mitchell Beers, Reardon’s attorney, did not immediately return a call for comment today.