Suspected wine thieves nabbed in Croatia

Spanish police say a man and woman who allegedly stole 45 wine bottles valued at over €1.6 million ($1.7 million) have been captured after a nine-month investigation.

According to Spanish media, the suspects are a former Mexican beauty queen and her Dutch-Romanian boyfriend.

The robbery took place on October 27 last year at the renowned Atrio restaurant-hotel in the western Spanish city of Caceres, a police statement said.

The pair left Spain a few days later, traveling through several European countries before they were finally taken into custody in Croatia.

The stolen wine included some unique vintages, including one worth around €310,000, police said.

What else did investigators say?

Police said the woman checked into the Atrio hotel using a fake Swiss identity card. Citing sources, Spanish daily El Pais reported that she wore a wig, sunglasses and a mask as she informed staff she would be dining at the Michelin-starred restaurant with her companion that evening. 

"After dining at the restaurant with her accomplice, both visited the winery at the invitation of the staff, a practice that was common practice with clients," the police statement said.

Later that night, the woman distracted hotel staff by requesting a meal after the kitchen had closed. Meanwhile, the man allegedly slipped into the wine cellar using a master key he had stolen earlier. He then allegedly loaded three large backpacks with wine bottles, wrapping the bottles in hotel towels.

The couple checked out at around 5:30 a.m., leaving on foot with their backpacks. The robbery was only discovered after the alleged perpetrators had left.

Among the missing wine was a bottle of Chateau d'Yquem from 1806 and six others from the 19th century, El Pais reported.

"Those bottles are part of my personal history and the history of Atrio, but also of Caceres, of its citizens, of all wine lovers all over the world," chef Tono Perez told the newspaper.

Meticulously planned operation

The statement from police said the two suspects planned the crime meticulously and appeared to be "highly specialized and experienced."

Investigators said the pair had also visited the hotel's restaurant three times in the months leading up to the theft, purportedly "to make a preliminary study" of the venue.

Spanish police said they had worked with their counterparts in the Netherlands, Croatia and Romania as well as Interpol to catch the pair, who have not been identified pending formal charges being laid.

The suspects were arrested by Croatian authorities while crossing from Montenegro into Croatia.

Spanish media reported that the stolen wine has not been recovered and that the investigation is continuing.

Edited by: Darko Janjevic