El Cajon

A father of two who had been the subject of an extensive search by friends and police since his disappearance Friday returned home Wednesday night and admitted that he had gone to Nevada to gamble.

Mark S. Grauer, 29, a construction worker, at first told his wife he had been kidnaped but later confessed to police that he had voluntarily gone away for a few days, leaving his car unlocked in a bank parking lot on Fletcher Parkway, El Cajon police said.

According to Lt. Robert Lein, Grauer said he had hitchhiked to Laughlin, Nev., Friday night because he was “stressed out” and was experiencing problems at home. Grauer said he spent several days gambling before losing most of his money, Lein reported. With $7 in his pocket, Grauer said, he hitchhiked back to San Diego by way of Los Angeles.

Family and friends began looking for Grauer immediately after he failed to return home from cashing his paycheck Friday evening. Just two days later, more than 100 people from the family’s church fanned out through the area searching for Grauer with photocopied pictures and maps, according to Grauer’s wife, Pam.

Lein said no charges will be brought.