Thieves grab £250,000 haul in wine shop but miss precious bottle once owned by Whitney Houston

A wine shop owner has revealed how two thieves tunnelled into the cellar of his shop and stole £250,000 of stock – but left behind a priceless bottle once owned by Whitney Houston.

The thieving duo, who claimed to be tenants of a nearby property when they were caught, also left behind a £100,000 bottle of wine during the raid on Vintage Wines Ltd on Derby Road, Nottingham.

Managing Director Terry Rockley explained how the thieves, who have now been jailed, carried out the raids over a period of two days in October.

A wine shop owner revealed thieves tunneled through the walls of Vintage Wines Ltd (pictured) on Derby Road in Nottingham and stole a quarter of a million (£250k) worth of stock

The first incident happened on October 17 when a member of staff found two individuals in the sealed cellar who claimed to be new council tenants from a vacant neighbouring building

Mr Rockley said: ‘He managed to take them upstairs, get them upstairs so they were on camera and called me.’

Police were called to the scene but the thieves made a rapid exit with the bottles.

When police arrived, the the pair had managed to get away and staff realised a number of bottles were missing from the ‘prized cellar’.

Mr Rockley said: ‘They went whichever way at that time they came from, they went back through the tunnel.

‘They tunnelled through the derelict buildings and obviously when they realised the police were on their way, they’d gone downstairs.

‘Our staff did the right thing, didn’t challenge, they thought they’d leave them in the cellar until the police arrived and they’d obviously made a rapid exit with bottles.’

However, the thieving duo, who have since been jailed, left behind precious bottles owned by pop icon Whitney Houston (pictured)

However, the thieving duo, who have since been jailed, left behind precious bottles owned by pop icon Whitney Houston (pictured)

In the evening of that same day, the specialist wine merchant business was hit again.

‘Before I got here the alarms were activated and armed police had surrounded the building when I arrived,’ said Mr Rockley, who’d been in Coventry earlier that day. 

‘You open the door as you come down the stairs to the cellar at 9.30 in the evening and we’ve got bottles everywhere.

‘We’re talking prized bottles. I think I was quoted as saying ‘they’ve got the crown jewels’.

‘You’ve got rare bottles of whisky, of very high value, that are just missing – empty on the shelves.

‘And you’ve got a trail of bottles just like dominoes, leading like someone’s got a spilled bag of corn all the way to the tunnel. 

‘Again they got away, the police surrounded but they managed to evade capture.’

The two cases on that day are classed as one incident by the police.

The suspects forced entry initially through fire doors which were made safe but Mr Rockley said: ‘When they came back they’d tunnelled through walls – like rats they’d come through, they’ve destroyed a toilet, demolished it, to get through into another section.’

They carried out the raids of the 'prized cellar' over two days in October this year. The first incident happened on October 17 when staff found two people in the cellar (pictured) who posed as new tenants from a neighbouring building

They carried out the raids of the ‘prized cellar’ over two days in October this year. The first incident happened on October 17 when staff found two people in the cellar (pictured) who posed as new tenants from a neighbouring building

The pair had already escaped by the time police arrived to the scene and staff realised a number of bottles were missing from the 'prized cellar'. The thieves had gained entry by forcing their way through fire doors (pictured)

The pair had already escaped by the time police arrived to the scene and staff realised a number of bottles were missing from the ‘prized cellar’. The thieves had gained entry by forcing their way through fire doors (pictured)

The shop was also targeted on October 23.

Mr Rockley said: ‘On the third attempt, they broke into the neighbouring property but our alarm systems were ready, we’d already anticipated in case of any repercussions.

‘So the alarms had gone off – we don’t believe they got away with anything, though they still managed to get to the cellar. We don’t believe they managed to get any stock on the 23rd, it was too secure by then.’

Police investigating what happened said they initially believed ‘well over £50,000 worth of stock’ was stolen.

The force confirmed three bottles – worth around £14,525 – had been taken.

When asked about the value of items taken, Mr Rockley said: ‘We’re looking at it at the moment.

‘From an early investigation it could be anywhere up to a quarter of a million that’s gone.’

But it could have been worse, as he explained.

‘I can remember saying to them [police] ‘there’s bottles of wine in that cellar and one’s over £100,000’ – and, at first, we thought they’d got that but they missed it. 

‘Luckily they’d missed wines belonging to the late Whitney Houston and even to Robert Maxwell.’

Managing Director Terry Rockley (pictured left) said: When they came back [on October 23] they'd tunnelled through walls - like rats they'd come through, they've destroyed a toilet, demolished it, to get through into another section.'

Managing Director Terry Rockley (pictured left) said: When they came back [on October 23] they’d tunnelled through walls – like rats they’d come through, they’ve destroyed a toilet, demolished it, to get through into another section.’

Two men were were charged in connection with the investigation have been sentenced.

Nicholas Lowe, 39, of Alfreton Road in Radford, Nottingham, was charged with three counts of burglary and one count of criminal damage.

He was sentenced to 13 months in prison.

A second man was charged with one count of burglary and he was sentenced to 16 months in prison.

They were sentenced at a Nottingham Crown hearing on November 27.

Mr Rockley said: ‘It’s a police matter, they say the case is closed and that’s it.

‘It’s now down to recovery, we have to make good the property and we’ve got to replenish an awful lot of stock.’

He added: ‘We’re well insured so it will certainly pay towards the costs.’

Speaking previously, Detective Constable Sean Davison, said: ‘It’s really important to us that we’re protecting businesses during this really difficult time for them.

‘Clearly this is a huge hit to someones livelihood and we will do everything we can to bring those responsible to justice.’

The shop occupies 116-118 Derby Road but staff fear the business could lose one shop unit after plans emerged to convert the upper floors of the wider building into student accommodation.