The theft of rare and expensive wine is not an uncommon occurrence, and the incident at Atrio is just one example of how some people are willing to go to great lengths to get their hands on valuable bottles of wine. The wine industry is a multi-billion dollar industry, and collectors around the world are willing to pay top dollar for rare and vintage wines.
The value of wine increases significantly as it ages, and it is not uncommon for some wines to fetch tens of thousands of dollars at auctions. This is why wine cellars in high-end restaurants and hotels are heavily secured, and access is restricted to a select few. However, even with tight security measures in place, there are still those who are willing to take the risk of attempting to steal valuable wine.
?Asà cometieron el robo, y huyeron del lugar, los dos presuntos autores del robo de vino en el restaurante #Atrio de #Cáceres
— PolicÃa Nacional (@policia) July 20, 2022
Una de las botellas data del año 1806 y está valorada en 310.000 euros, siendo un ejemplar único en el mundo pic.twitter.com/L30oUXehVe
The couple involved in the Atrio theft had clearly done their research and were able to pull off a well-planned heist. They had visited the restaurant multiple times in the months leading up to the robbery, and the woman even went so far as to obtain a fake Swiss passport to check into the adjacent luxury hotel.
Once at the restaurant, the couple ordered an extensive meal and were given a tour of the wine cellar. It was during this tour that they were able to steal an electronic key to the cellar. The couple then left the hotel in the early hours of the morning with the stolen wine bottles wrapped in hotel towels and concealed in travel bags.
The theft was not discovered until later that day when the staff at the restaurant realized that some of their most expensive bottles of wine were missing. The police were alerted, and an investigation was launched, but it was not until a year later that the couple was caught at the border of Montenegro and Croatia.
Despite the fact that the restaurant was compensated by their insurance company, the loss of such valuable wine was undoubtedly a blow to the business. However, the fact that they were able to rebound and earn a third Michelin star just goes to show the resilience of the restaurant industry.
The wine heist is a cautionary tale of the lengths some people are willing to go to in order to obtain rare and valuable wine. It is also a reminder of the importance of tight security measures in places where such wine is stored and sold.
