This is the shocking moment when brutal thieves broke into a secure glass vault and stole nine bottles of some of the world’s most expensive wines before being chased out of the store by staff.
The daring robbery, which took place at a posh wine warehouse on Spain’s Costa Brava, saw the robbers steal £100,000 worth of wine in broad daylight as the shop was packed with customers.
CCTV footage from Store shows two of the three men walking from different directions on Sunday to the tall glass vault that contains only rare vintage wines.
A man can be seen pulling a crowbar from a fellow robber’s waistband before kneeling in front of the vault’s sealed door. The second robber pulls a high-pressure suction cup from the front of his shorts before helping open the door.
Then – as the pair pull open the glass vault door – a third thief with a backpack joins them and they all start piling the expensive wine bottles into the bag.
CCTV footage from Store shows two of the three men walking from different directions on Sunday towards the tall glass vault containing only rare vintage wines
A shocked saleswoman discovered the robbers and chased them all out of the store. One is seen jumping over the counter of one of the store’s cash registers – narrowly avoiding another shop assistant in the process – before fleeing
CCTV footage from outside the store shows the saleswoman sprinting after the three men, who manage to cross a busy road and escape from sight
The video shows how one of the thieves appeared to point out to the other two men which of the bottles to steal, suggesting that he knew which were the most rare and expensive bottles in the collection.
After the £100,000 bottles of wine are loaded into the rucksack, two of the robbers can be seen walking slowly towards the exit, while the third kneels down to close his bags.
But just then, a shocked sales assistant discovered the robber before chasing them all out of the store. One of them is seen jumping over the counter of one of the store’s registers – narrowly avoiding another store clerk in the process – before fleeing.
CCTV footage from outside the store shows the saleswoman sprinting after the three men, who manage to cross a busy road and escape from sight.
The shocked owners of the Vins i Licors Can Grau store in Palafrugell in the Mediterranean Costa Brava said the loot was worth £102,255 (120,000 euros).
The bottles are said to be worth between £850 and £25,500 each.
The store’s owners told local media that the same thieves had already attempted a robbery a month ago, but were then forced to abandon their loot and flee.
The most expensive bottle stolen was reportedly a 2008 Romanee-Conti worth £25,500, while the second most valuable bottle was a 2013 vintage Romanee-Conti worth more than £21,780.
The gang also made off with two bottles of 2015 La Tache, reportedly worth £10,805 each, as well as a bottle of 2015 Richebourg estimated to be worth £7,498.
The shocked owners of the Vins i Licors Can Grau store in Palafrugell in the Mediterranean Costa Brava said the loot was worth £102,255 (120,000 euros). In the photo: the wine stall where the robbers stole the bottles of wine
Pictured: A largely empty wine stand after three robbers robbed a shop in Spain
Other stolen wines included a 2018 Echezeaux worth £6,400, a 2018 Romanee-Saint-Vivant worth £6,071 and a 2016 Petrus worth £4,857. They also stole a 2010 Chateau Margaux worth £1,004.
Shop co-owner Jordi Grau, 46, said: ‘We have an area of fine wines, enclosed in a display case.
“They opened the display case, forced the latch and with a suction cup they opened the door, and from there they took expensive bottles.”
Grau added, “They had a backpack and 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 parking garage next door.”
“The store was open to the public, there were more people and it was around noon and it was open, at a busy time of day,” Grau added, praising his staff for their bravery in chasing the robbers away .
Speaking of the burglars’ earlier attempt to steal from the shop, he said: “They tried to open the display case that has now been broken into, but then they couldn’t and they opened another one next to it, which has equally good wines.” , but cheaper than the ones taken now.
“They tried to take 12 or 13 bottles but were spotted and left the loot before escaping.
“That’s why we’re looking for ways to improve our security, but we haven’t had time to implement them.
“This week they were supposed to set up audible alarms. It seemed like they knew.’
He added that he expects the bottles to end up on a black market and that the robbery may have been ordered.
Police are investigating the robbery – in which one of the thieves dropped his mobile phone during his escape – but no arrests have yet been made.