A mother from Britain who stole wine valued at £31,000 from a prestigious restaurant in the US may soon be released as she returned two stolen bottles. Natali Ray, a former guest house owner from Kent, engaged in a theft scheme with Nikola Krndija, 57, at L’Auberge Provençale in Virginia. They posed as event planners during the orchestrated heist last November, with Krndija pocketing expensive wine while Ray distracted the co-owner.
Krndija fled to Austria after the theft, while Ray was apprehended in the restaurant’s parking lot. She admitted to grand larceny, possession of burglary tools, and defrauding the establishment. Despite facing a potential 40-year prison sentence, Ray is now expected to be released in six months, having already served half of her term. Upon release, she is likely to be deported to the UK or placed on 10 years of probation in the community if she remains.
During the trial at Clarke Circuit Court, it was revealed that two stolen bottles, including a $24,000 pinot noir and a $7,000 bottle, were returned after the heist. The restaurant owners claimed the wines had depreciated due to improper storage during their absence. The prosecutor described the theft as a well-planned operation, emphasizing the deliberate actions taken by Ray and Krndija.
Celeste Borel, the restaurant’s co-owner, expressed disappointment over Ray’s sentence, questioning the justice system and hinting at stricter security measures for future visitors.
