A group of thieves broke into a high-end wine store in Venice and stole $700,000 worth of wine.
The break-in happened around 12:30 a.m. Saturday at Lincoln Fine Wines, a high-end wine store in Venice.
The store is still waiting for the Los Angeles Police Department to send a detective, but it’s not waiting to spread the word because thieves may have a dilemma on their hands once they try to sell everything they stole.
“Château d’yquem is a dessert wine from Bordeaux. $500 a bottle,” said Nick Martinelli, a wine buyer at Lincoln Fine Wines.
Martinelli is the wine buyer at Lincoln Fine Wines, where he says at least two thieves made off with bottles worth twice that price.
He says the thieves cut a square hole in the ceiling, climbed down on a rope, and proceeded to steal more than $700,000 worth of merchandise.
Up to 700 bottles, Martinelli said, some worth more than $3,000 each. From château petrus to château la fite.
“Magnums, three liters, giuseppe quintarelli, which is even rarer than la fite,” Martinelli said.
These rare and expensive labels are works of art, known to wine connoisseurs and aficionados.
“They knew exactly what to wear. They didn’t jump in and started taking random things,” Martinelli said.
But that can also be his downfall, he explains. The thieves will have to fence off the bottles somehow. Its real value would come from a collector, perhaps someone who doesn’t even know they’re buying stolen goods.
Therefore, Lincoln Fine Wines is in contact not only with the LAPD, but also with other retailers and auction houses.
“If they get an offer for certain wines, they can alert the police or let us know,” Martinelli said.
And, as an added incentive, the store is giving you another reason to do the right thing.
“A $10,000 reward for anyone who has any information about the robbery, the robbers or anything,” Martinelli said.
The thieves also stole a bottle of 1971 “Last Drop” Scotch.
