Italian media report €5m wine theft at Tuscan winery

Marchesi Antinori said the theft took place at its storage facility in Tuscany on the Saturday before the BBC’s 9 October report, while it was preparing a shipment for customers abroad. Italian media put the haul at 30,000 bottles worth about €5m, according to the BBC. Staff discovered the theft when they arrived on Monday morning, the BBC reported. [1]

The BBC reported that at least seven masked men were believed to have disabled alarms and cameras, then used the company’s forklifts to load two trucks with Tignanello, Solaia and Guado al Tasso red wines. [1]

The wines usually sell for €150 to €500 a bottle, according to the BBC. Marchesi Antinori believes the choice of bottles suggests the thieves had wine expertise and inside knowledge. Its chief executive, Renzo Cotarella, told Corriere della Sera that, in his view, Italy had not previously seen a theft of this scale and value. The BBC reported that no arrests had been made as of 9 October. [1]