TEMPE, AZ — Tempe police say an arrest has been made in connection with the theft of an expensive bottle of liquor from a local restaurant, a case that began with a late-night dining visit and ended with felony theft charges. Officers say the bottle taken from Three Thirty Three Restaurant was a Louis XIII cognac valued at $4,149.99.
According to police, the suspects turned themselves in on May 12 after investigators reviewed the incident and the restaurant’s surveillance footage. The case drew attention because the theft appeared to be planned, with police and restaurant staff describing a fake reservation, a fake phone number and a brief meal before the bottle disappeared.
How investigators say the theft unfolded
Restaurant staff say the incident happened on the night of May 4. John DeVries, speaking for the restaurant, said a man and woman arrived using a false name and contact information, ordered appetizers and starters, and then began complaining before asking to go outside to smoke.
DeVries said smoking is not allowed outside, and that the pair left through the front. He said the woman later came back inside while the man blocked the manager’s view. Surveillance video then showed the woman taking the bottle from a cart and placing it in her purse, according to the restaurant’s account.
Police identify suspects and later update the case
Tempe police initially identified the suspects in a May 12 statement as 34-year-old Channel Miller and 32-year-old Matthew Steve. The department said the pair surrendered to investigators the same day, which allowed detectives to move forward with the case…