Police have arrested a warehouse worker in Napa Valley they say stole more than $400,000 worth of wine.
"Investigators say 31-year-old Jose Pina was caught with several cases of wine and more than $70,000 in cash." (Via KNBC)
Pina was an employee of the Valley Wine Warehouse storage facility, and police told KTXL that meant he had unlimited access to the entire building. The warehouse stored bottles from several different wineries in the area.
Four thousand two hundred bottles of wine were discovered missing February 14, and police had said the theft was likely an inside job after finding no signs of forced entry.
Daily Mail says investigators found at least 55 cases of the wine hidden inside a barn about 12 miles away from the storage facility. Clues at the barn then led them to Pina's residence.
KTVU spoke with American Canyon Police Chief Tracey Stuart, who said the wine companies whose bottles were stolen refuse to sell the recovered bottles.
"They don't know that they were properly handled. They won't want to sell that to the public and risk selling poor wine."
Pina was charged with grand theft and possession of stolen property.
