The smartly dressed owner of a Chelsea wine store made a second appearance in Manhattan Criminal Court on Wednesday after being arrested on suspicion of stealing vintage wine from his high-end store.
Michael Gancarz was handcuffed at the popular wine shop at 60 Ninth Avenue on Father’s Day last year, wearing a custom-made blue striped suit as he avoided questions from a Washington Post photographer about the bizarre incident.
He is charged with burglary, petty theft and trespass, according to court records.
Gancarz was released without bail and is next due to appear in court on August 14.
According to the complaint, Chelsea Wine, located across the street from Chelsea Market, is no longer owned by Gancalz and his wife, Amelia.
The store’s new owner, Bobby Coram, told arresting officers that Gancalz had no permission or authority to remove merchandise from the store and entered even though the store was locked, according to the criminal complaint.
It is unclear what items were stolen from the store.
Gancalz and his lawyer did not respond to requests for comment.
Coram declined to comment.
The 25-year-old store was formerly located in Chelsea Market, and the couple took over ownership from Amelia’s father, Daniel Bartelucci, an architect who has designed luxury retail stores around the world.
As The Washington Post exclusively reported, Gancarz made headlines last year when customers at his Midtown wine storage business, Chelsea Wine Storage, began complaining that they couldn’t access their expensive vintage wines.
Longtime customers were unable to answer their phone calls and attempts to visit the warehouse, which has been relocated from its previous location in Chelsea Market without informing customers, were turned away.
Photos obtained by The Washington Post last year showed hundreds of cardboard boxes stacked on wooden pallets in an unfinished basement in Midtown.
The warehouse operation quietly moved into the basement of the former TGI Fridays at 777 Seventh Avenue in Times Square.
“I haven’t heard anything back and I’m worried the wine I stored is gone forever,” a CWS customer posted on Yelp on Oct. 23.
Another wrote: “I am extremely concerned about my collection as they have not answered my emails or calls… Some of my most precious bottles have somehow stopped showing up in stock.”
The landlord of both Guncarz’s store and warehouse is Michael Sher, who has sued Guncarz for unpaid rent and has begun eviction proceedings.
The New York State Liquor Control Board launched an investigation last year.
