A London-based cheese manufacturer has reported that more than 22 tons of cheddar has been stolen after an alleged scam.
Neal’s Yard Dairy said it delivered more than 950 wheels of cheddar to the alleged fraudster posing as a wholesale distributor for a major French retailer before realizing what had happened.
The company said it still paid Hafod, Westcombe and Pitchfork, the producers of the stolen cheeses, so they would not have to bear the cost ‘despite the significant financial blow’.
It’s said the stolen cheese is worth a staggering £300,000 ($388,830).
The cheese manufacturer, which has been in business since the 1980s, said it is 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 as of yesterday (October 25).
22 tons of cheese – more than 950 wheels – have been stolen (@nealsyarddairy/Instagram)
Neal’s Yard Dairy called out to 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.
Patrick Holden, who owns the farm that makes Hafod cheddar, has labeled the ordeal as ‘a violation of the atmosphere of good faith and respect’.
He said, as per The Guardian: “It might sound naive to fall victim to a scam, but the truth is that the artisan cheese world is a place where trust is deeply embedded in all transactions. The breach of trust by this fraudulent customer is a violation of the atmosphere of good faith and respect.”
“It’s a world where one’s word is one’s bond,” he added.
Neal’s Yard Dairy has been running since the 1980s (@nealsyarddairy/Instagram)
Tom Calver, a director of Westcombe Dairy, has also addressed the ‘terrible’ ordeal.
“The process of making that cheese started almost three years ago when we planted seeds for the animals’ feed in the ground,” he explained.
“The amount of work that’s gone into nurturing the cows, emphasising best farming practice, and transforming the milk one batch at a time to produce the best possible cheese is beyond estimation. And for that to be stolen… it’s absolutely terrible.”
Calver further applauded Neal’s Dairy Yard for still paying them ‘even in the darkest of times’.
Elsewhere celebrity chef Jamie Oliver has taken to social media to tell people about what he described as ‘the grate cheese robbery’ and urged people to be wary of ‘posh cheese being sold for cheap’.
