An elaborate scheme resulted in $500k worth of stolen bourbon for a calculated heist crew in Philadelphia.
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Astonishingly, the bourbon thieves even managed to trick the warehouse staff into helping them load the escape vehicle with booze.
During a midday heist, a crew of thieves stole 10,800 bottles of Noble Oak Bourbon from the American Supply warehouse. The incident occurred between 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. on Friday in a "coordinated cargo theft operation," A21 Wine & Spirits and Apogee 21 Holdings, Inc told NBCPhiladelphia.
The workers overlooked required security measurements and allowed the burglars to enter to "move forward with the heist," said Rob Koch, chief operating officer of Apogee 21 Holdings, Inc.
"The theft involved a significant quantity of premium bourbon from our newly acquired brand, Noble Oak. And appears to have been executed with knowledge of logistics operations and product movement schedules."
Koch said because of the size of the theft, authorities believe the stolen bourbon may be offered for resale. Illegal distribution would occur primarily through unauthorized channels and online marketplaces.
For that reason, officials are asking retailers, restaurants, warehouse operators and consumers to report any suspicious offers involving large quantities of Noble Oak Bourbon.
FBI Will Investigate Massive Bourbon Heist
"This is one of the largest thefts of bourbon that we've seen. Especially this year in the region," Koch told the outlet.
Koch said the theft was reported to the Philadelphia Police Department, the FBI and other agencies.
So far, there have been no arrests made in connection with the midday heist.
The recent theft is one of the largest heists of alcohol in America.
The largest recorded single alcohol theft in U.S. history occurred in July 2023. Back then, thieves stole $1.6 million worth of liquor from a Republic National Distributing Company (RNDC) warehouse in Gibsonton, Florida.
The thieves utilized forklifts and semi-trucks to bypass security and make off with thousands of cases of product.
