Thieves made off with about $65,000 worth of high-end wine from a Peninsula store that's about to close permanently, police said Thursday.
Beltramo's Wine and Spirits in Menlo Park, which opened in 1935 and will shut down this weekend, was broken into last week, and the thieves took bottles of First Growth Bordeaux and collectible California Cabernet, each priced from $500 to $1,000 a bottle.
"Late at night, somebody smashed through our side door, a very professional hit in terms of dismantling the door," said Diana Beltramo Hewitt, the store's general manager.
The owners had just brought out the wine from a locked library, hoping to showcase some of their high-end selection before shutting down.
"They were going for the good stuff," Beltramo Hewit said of the thieves. "They knew what they wanted."
Police have obtained surveillance video form the store and are hoping to get a good look at the suspects.
As for the store, it's closing whether or not the thieves are caught, as the owners are retiring.
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Beltramo Hewitt insists the high-end heist won't taint the shop's history.
"The vast majority of this closing process has been very positive," she said.
The owners say the wine was insured, and they're working with the insurance companies on a claim.
First Growth Bordeaux wines are among the world’s most expensive and famous wines, according to The Wine Cellar Insider. Even the newest vintages are being sold as futures and cost on average $1,000 or more per bottle.
