The great wine robbery: ‘English speaking’ couple make off with expensive bottles from Spanish restaurant

Among the bottles taken was an 1806 Chateau d’Yquem, bought at auction for €12,000, but was offered at the restaurant for €350,000

One bottle was on sale for €350,000 (Getty Images)

Forty-five bottles of vintage wine, some dating back more than 200 years and worth hundreds of thousands of pounds, were stolen by an “English-speaking couple” from a Michelin-starred restaurant in Spain.

The robbery took place from Atrio, a restaurant in  Caceres in western Spain, which has two Michelin stars, police said on Friday.

Among the bottles which were taken was an 1806 Chateau d’Yquem which was bought at auction for €12,000 in London but was offered at the restaurant at a price of €350,000.

Police have launched an investigation into what Spanish media have called the ‘theft of the century’.

The couple were said to have convinced staff at the restaurant, which is situated in a luxury hotel, that they were clients when they arrived at 1.30 am on Tuesday.

They asked for something to eat from the restaurant, possibly as a way of distracting staff, police said.

“They will not be able to sell this wine for a million euros. It has seen the history of the last 215 years of Europe,” José Polo, one of the owners of Atrio, told El Mundo newspaper.

“A man and woman who were very friendly came to stay in the hotel and they asked to dine.”

Police said it appeared that the theft was carefully planned down to the last detail.

It appears that when the receptionist went to ask if the staff could prepare the guests some food, they used this opportunity to go down to the bodega and smash the locks.

The thieves used sophisticated means to crack the locks, police said.

“It seems so calculated that it was all carried out to order,” said Mr Polo.

He said the thieves took bottles of Romanee Conti, of which there are only 3,500 made every year.  Each bottle is sold for €12,500 at Atrio.

Mr Polo and his partner Toni Peréz said in a statement: “They have stolen part of our legacy. They have stolen part of our history which we have made with a lot of effort.

“More than a robbery, it is as if they had forced us, gagged us and beaten us. We feel immense sadness. The worst thing is that they have not stolen money, not even objects, they have ripped apart our history from our hearts.”

The restaurateurs said that Atrio would continue to remain open despite the robbery.