A tuk-tuk driver in London, identified as Iuliu Kubola, has pled guilty to three burglary charges after stealing an estimated £24,000 worth of wine from a restaurant. The 61-year-old was caught on CCTV secretly placing bottles in a wheelie bin and wheeling them away in a pedicab.
City of London police reported that Kubola broke into a restaurant’s cellar on Threadneedle street near the Bank of England on May 6 and stole 73 bottles. He returned on June 15 to take three more bottles valued at around £680. His visits were punctuated by a final attempt on June 22 when he was arrested outside a bar, thanks to a police officer recognizing him from prior briefings.
Detective Constable Marcus Fairclough remarked on the significant impact of such crimes on local businesses and emphasized the commitment of the police to investigate thoroughly. Kubola is scheduled to be sentenced in September.
This incident is part of a worrying trend of fine wine thefts in Europe, which have seen dining establishments targeted by criminals. In Spain, a notable case involved the imprisonment of a couple for stealing bottles worth hundreds of thousands of euros from a Michelin-starred restaurant.
Related articles: