A mother from the UK stole wine valued at £31,000 from a prestigious American restaurant but might soon be released as she returned two bottles. Natali Ray, a former guest house owner from Herne Bay, Kent, created a distraction at L’Auberge Provençale in Virginia while her associate, Nikola Krndija, took expensive wine from the cellar. They posed as event planners during the orchestrated theft last November, donning wigs to conceal their identities.

While Krndija fled to Austria and remains at large, Ray was apprehended in the parking lot. She admitted to grand larceny, possession of burglary tools, and defrauding an establishment. Despite facing a potential 40-year prison sentence, Ray is expected to be released in six months after most of her term was suspended. Following her release, she may be deported to the UK or placed on 10 years of community probation if she stays in the US.

During the trial at Clarke Circuit Court, it was revealed that two stolen bottles, including a prized pinot noir valued at $24,000 (£17,000) and another worth $7,000 (£5,200), were returned in the months following the theft. However, the restaurant owners argued that the wines lost value due to improper storage while missing.

Matthew Bass, Clarke County commonwealth’s attorney, characterized the theft as a well-planned heist, citing the disguises and premeditation involved. Celeste Borel, co-owner of L’Auberge Provençale, expressed disappointment with Ray’s sentence, questioning the justice system and indicating stricter access protocols for cellar tours in the future.