Buffalo Trace worker connected to Wild Turkey theft

A Buffalo Trace employee has been arrested after Kentucky Police recovered five stolen barrels of Wild Turkey Bourbon worth up to US$30,000 in his backyard.

Police have recovered five stolen barrels of Wild Turkey Bourbon worth up to US$30,000

Officers received a phone tip-off on Wednesday and discovered the barrels on the property of 45-year-old Gilbert Thomas Curtsinger, NBC News reported.

The Bourbon was put in casks in 2008 and each is thought to be worth between US$3,700 and US$6,000.

Franklin County Sheriff Pat Melton said: “I’ve never seen anything like this. You could be looking at US$30,000 worth of Bourbon.”

In 2013, 200 bottles worth US$26,000 of rare Pappy Van Winkle Bourbon were stolen from the Buffalo Trace Distillery in an inside job “heist”, but Melton said it is “still an open case” and whether the two incidents are related is “yet to be seen”.

“We’re looking forward to where this case goes,” he told the news site.

“We are following up on every lead that we get on Pappy, it’s still an open case.

“I’m still optimistic we may solve it.”

Curtsinger appeared at Franklin County District Court on Thursday charged with receiving stolen property over US$10,000, four counts of possession of a controlled substance and possession of drug paraphernalia.

He pleaded not guilty and was released on bail.

Wild Turkey said in a statement that it is currently carrying out tests on the Bourbon and conducting its own investigation.