Thieves have made off with 22 tonnes of luxury cheddar after conning a London cheese firm.
Neal’s Yard Dairy said it delivered more than 950 wheels of it to the fraudsters, who claimed they were a wholesale distributor for a major French retailer.
It was only afterwards they realised the whole thing was a scam.
The firm said it would still pay the three small-scale producers, Hafod, Westcombe and Pitchfork, who made the cheese, ‘despite the significant financial blow’ Neal’s Yard Dairy would incur as a result.
It said it was working with police to identify the perpetrators.
The Metropolitan Police said in a statement: ‘On Monday, 21 October we received a report of the theft of a large quantity of cheese from a manufacturer based in Southwark.
‘Enquiries are ongoing into the circumstances.’
Police said no arrests have been made related to the alleged theft.
Jamie Oliver posted about the theft on his Instagram page, writing: ‘In a shocking turn of events, Neal’s Yard Dairy has fallen victim to a brazen heist of epic proportions.
‘A staggering 22 tonnes of premium cheddar, worth £300,000, have vanished, leaving the cheese world reeling.’
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Neal’s Yard Dairy urged cheesemongers around the world to contact them if they suspect they have been sold the stolen cheese, particularly clothbound cheddars in a 10kg or 24kg format with the tags detached.
Cheesemakers Westcombe joined the call, posting a video on their Instagram page asking people to keep an eye out for the cheddar.
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