Coldstream’s Badgers Creek Winery reports giant blow up wine bottle theft to Lilydale police
Crooks with a penchant for vino have made off with an almost two-metre display bottle at a Yarra Valley winery, leaving its owners hundreds of dollars out of pocket.
Outer East
Don't miss out on the headlines from Outer East. Followed categories will be added to My News.
A giant blow-up wine bottle and four barrels have been stolen from a display at a Coldstream winery.
The quirky theft has left the owners of Badgers Creek Winery hundreds of dollars out of pocket and Lilydale police are urging anyone with information to come forward.
Sergeant Chris Grasby said the theft was reported to police on June 9 and happened sometime between May 11 and June 1.
Winery manager Solar Cai said the business was closed because of coronavirus and also the quiet season and would reopen in November.
Mr Cai said thieves not only took the 1.8m blow up wine bottle — which was the smaller of three — as well as two half and two standard sized wine barrels.
He said the smaller blow-up wine bottle had not been secured in concrete like the others so was easier for the thieves to take.
Mr Cai said the crooks tipped out all the dirt and flowers from the half barrels before they fled.
The blow-up display was ordered from overseas so were quite expensive, Mr Cai said.
The winery was slammed earlier this year for “fat-shaming” when it invited visitors to try its “stature challenge” which had six doors for people to fit through depending on their size.
It had doors with “overweight body”, “chubby body”, and “fit-looking body”.
Visitor Shannyn Tucker took to social media to share her outrage and her post went viral.
A day later the winery took to Facebook to apologise.
The post said: “Dear valued customers, we apologise for the offence we caused by displaying the Body Stature Challenge in our car park.”
“We did not understand that this would be offensive, however now we understand why it is inappropriate and have removed it,” the post said.
Anyone with information on the theft is urged to contact Crime Stoppers or Lilydale police 9739 2300
MORE: LYREBIRDS IN DANGER FROM SELFISH HUMANS
ICONIC KNOX MARKET TO CLOSE AFTER HALF A CENTURY