Brazen Thieves Steal 20,000 EUR Worth Of Wine In Broad Daylight
This is the moment brazen thieves break into a secure glass vault for some of the world’s most expensive wines and flee with nine bottles worth an estimated 120,000 Euros.
The daring heist – the latest in a string of headline grabbling thefts– at an upmarket wine warehouse in Spain’s Costa Brava, was carried out in broad daylight while the store was packed with customers.
Store CCTV footage shows the three thieves assembling in front of the sealed glass vault containing only rare wines like something from a Mission Impossible movie.
One pulls a crowbar from the trouser waistband of a second crook who also gets out a high-pressure suction cup to move the glass door.
Then – as the pair open the vault doors – a third crook joins them to start loading only the most expensive bottles into a backpack.
The footage shows that one of the gang seems to be directing the other two on which of the bottles to steal.
Then – after being discovered by a shocked sales assistant – the trio flee to a waiting getaway car.
One is seen vaulting Tom Cruise-style across the counter of one of the store’s checkouts as they finally escape.
Horrified owners of the Vins i Licors Can Grau store in Palafrugell, Girona province say the haul – stolen on 9th July – was worth EUR 120,000 (GBP 102,255).
The bottles are reportedly worth between EUR 1,000 and EUR 30,000 each.
Owners told local media that the same thieves had already attempted a heist a month ago but were then forced to abandon their haul and flee.
One bottle stolen from the store was reportedly a 2008 Romanee Conti worth EUR 29,950.
The second most valuable bottle was a 2013 vintage Romanee-Conti valued at more than EUR 25,600.
The gang also made off with two bottles of 2015 La Tache, reportedly worth EUR 12,699 each.
A fifth bottle of fine wine was a 2015 Richebourg estimated to be worth EUR 8,812.
Other wines stolen included a 2018 Echezeaux worth EUR 7,516 and a 2018 Romanee-Saint-Vivant worth EUR 7,127.
The gang also stole a 2016 Petrus worth EUR 5,702 and a 2010 Chateau Margaux worth EUR 1,179.
Store co-owner Jordi Grau, 46, told Newsflash: “We have an area of fine wines, enclosed in a showcase.
“They opened the showcase, forced the bolt, and with a suction cup, opened the door, and from there they took high-end bottles.”
Grau added: “They had a backpack and they put them in the backpack, they were surprised and they ran after them, they were prepared, and they ran a lot.
“We tried to intercept them, they jumped over the counter and there was a car waiting for them in a car park next door.
“The store was open to the public, there were more people and it was around twelve and it was open, at a busy time of day.”
He also praised his staff for their great courage.
Speaking about the burglars’ previous attempt, he said: “They tried to open the showcase that has now been broken into, but they were unsuccessful back then and they opened another one next to it, which has equally fine wines, but cheaper than those that have been taken now.
“They tried to take 12 or 13 bottles, but were spotted and left the loot behind before escaping.
“As a result of that, we are looking for ways to improve our security, but we have not had time to implement them.
“This week they were going to set up acoustic alarms. It seemed like they knew.”
He added that he expects the bottles to end up on a black market and that the robbery might have been commissioned.
He said that police are investigating the heist.
Amazingly one of the crooks dropped a telephone in the escape but no arrests have yet been made.
The investigation is ongoing.
