In Vail, Colorado, numerous tourists visit each year during the winter season. Among these visitors are two thieves who have been consistently targeting businesses in the area.
The duo was first spotted in mid-January of 2023.
According to Detective Robert Genno of the Vail Police Department, the two criminals initially stole from a wine store in Vail Village. They were later identified as responsible for a theft at a Louis Vuitton store in Aspen as well.
Vail Police Department
The thieves focused on stealing high-value items, such as rare and expensive wine amounting to $6,500 from Grappa Fine Wines. Additionally, they took two luxury bags worth $13,000 from the Louis Vuitton store in Aspen.
The two work in a pair, with one typically distracting an employee while the other steals the luxury goods.
A year later, in mid-January 2024, the men returned to Vail.
“They hit Moncler, which is a higher-end ski apparel store. Then in the days coming, we then connected them to another wine theft that occurred in Frisco, Colorado,” said Genno.
The clothing stolen from Moncler was valued at $6,500.
Vail Police Department
“There’s definitely a lot of us looking for them,” said Dave Lasaitis, general manager of Basecamp Wine & Spirits in Frisco.
Basecamp Wine & Spirits lost the same type of wine, Screaming Eagle Cabernet, that was stolen from Grappa Wines the year prior. Those typically retail for $3,000 a bottle.
“Our compressor was down in our jewel case, so the doors were unlocked. And these fellas came in and definitely knew what they were doing,” Lasaitis remembered.
It was a huge hit to the locally owned business.
“It takes weeks to make up something like that, so it’s very detrimental to our business. Something that’s that high-end is important to us from a profit margin standpoint,” he said.
Basecamp Wine & Spirits has yet to track down another bottle to replace the one stolen.
Police say the amount stolen over the last two years has totaled around $29,000.
“Those are felony theft charges. There’s also concealment charges. So we definitely have felony acts against these two individuals,” said Genno.
Police do not want there to be a third year of thefts this January. They acknowledge the two may be out-of-town visitors.
“That’s probably pretty likely that if they’re doing it here, then they’d be doing it in other places,” said Genno, “Try and get their picture out there, get their information, and hopefully somebody reaches out to us with something.”
If you have any information about this case, contact Detective Genno at [email protected] or 970-479-2201, reference case number 2023-000099 or 2024-000110.
