LAPD Seeks Venice Wine Thieves Who Took $600K Worth Of Bottles

VENICE, CA — Police are continuing their search for suspects who were caught on camera descending through a hole in the roof of Lincoln Fine Wines and made off with approximately $600,000 worth of bottles.

According to the Los Angeles Police Department, the suspects parked a newer white 4D pickup truck with no license plates on Indiana Avenue west on Lincoln Boulevard at around 11:40 p.m. on June 29. After the truck was parked, one suspect was caught on camera climbing to the top of a storage box at the back of the store.

"The suspect covered the surveillance cameras located on the roof of the local store and cut a hole in the ceiling to gain entry," LAPD said in a statement.

The owner of Lincoln Fine Wines told the Los Angeles Times that the suspect descended from a rope into the store and passed the merchandise up through the hole. Over the course of four hours, the owner said the suspect nearly emptied the entire cellar.

A collection of bottles that years to build up, owner Nazmul Haque said the value of each of the bottles ranged from a few hundred to a few thousand dollars. The total estimated loss was about $600,000, Haque told the LA Times.

Both suspects fled the location at around 3:58 a.m. when the store's alarm was activated.

LAPD described one suspect to be a man who wore a black hoodie, black pants, white shoes, red gloves and a red and black baseball cap. The suspect's hood was covering his head, police said.

Anyone with information was urged to contact Pacific Area Detective Twycross at 310-482-6364. During non-business hours or on weekends calls can be directed to 877-527-3247. Anonymous reports can be submitted by calling 800-222-8477 or online at LACrimeStoppers.org.