A heist in the Langhe: hundreds of thousands of euros stolen from the Conterno Fantino winery
Wine may be in crisis and cellars will be full of unsold bottles, but the value of certain top wines can always be counted on: that's what the gang of criminals must have thought on the night between September 16th and 17th when they pulled off a robbery in the heart of the Langhe, in Monforte d'Alba, to the detriment of the famous Conterno Fantino winery, located in Bricco della Ginestra.
A professional shot
According to reconstructions, the operation began around 11:58 PM, with the usual suspects stealing over three thousand bottles of fine Barolo wine. A substantial haul, comprising the 2021 and 2022 vintages, including the company's iconic labels such as Vigna Sorì Ginestra, as well as special formats such as 1.5-liter magnums and 3-liter Eroboams. The total value of the stolen goods is estimated at hundreds of thousands of euros.
Initial investigations and analysis of video surveillance footage reveal a meticulously planned plan. The gang members, three or four people dressed in black, their faces covered by balaclavas and dark gloves, arrived on foot, making their way through the surrounding vineyards. To gain entry to the company's warehouse without activating the alarm systems, the thieves allegedly used a side window without security sensors. Once inside, the first criminal was able to open the doors for his accomplices.
The operation inside the facility lasted approximately three hours, during which the wine-loving thieves demonstrated their precise knowledge of how to move and what to look for: to move the loads of bottles, the thieves used the winery's two forklifts, handling the stolen goods with skill, even taking care to return the two forklifts to their original locations before completing the raid.
The criminals also exploited the winery's equipment for their escape, taking possession of two company vans onto which they loaded the more than three thousand stolen bottles. The thieves then pushed the vans by hand, with the engines off, for a distance of between 100 and 150 meters along the driveway, so as not to arouse suspicion and avoid making noise in the night. The plan was a success, as the owners didn't notice anything during the robbery. Only after reaching the main road did the gang start their engines to cover their tracks.
Neither the perpetrators nor the stolen bottles have been identified. The Carabinieri of the Bra Company and the Public Prosecutor's Office are investigating the incident, examining video surveillance footage for evidence that could identify the members of the commando, whose organization suggests the attack was carried out by professionals or on commission.