After a spectacular chase, the French police prevented a Grand Cru theft in the wine cellar of the luxury Domaine de Rymska hotel near Beaune. In the process, the fleeing thieves had tried to throw the valuable bottles at the police car chasing them on the highway in order to shake them off. This was unsuccessful. At the motorway toll station near Villefranche they caused an accident and fled on foot. The manhunt is now on for them.
The thieves broke into the wine cellar twice: During the first burglary on January 4, they stole bottles worth about 200,000 euro. The following day, they gained access to the cellar again, but triggered the alarm. The owner alerted the police. In the van they found several hundred bottles worth about 350,000 euros.
(uka)