Detectives investigating the theft of twenty-two tonnes of cheese from Neal’s Yard Dairy have arrested a 63-year-old man on suspicion of fraud by false illustration and dealing with stolen items.
The London cheese specialist delivered 950 wheels of cheddar – reported to be value as much as £300,000 – to an alleged fraudster posing as a wholesale distributor for an enormous French retailer.
The cheese is believed to have been spirited away to Russia or the Center East, in line with suppliers to the corporate who had been caught up within the rip-off on 21 October.
A Metropolitan police spokesperson mentioned officers investigating the theft mentioned the 63-year-old man was arrested and brought to a south London police station the place he was questioned.
The spokesperson added: “He has since been bailed pending additional inquiries. Inquiries stay ongoing.”
Neal’s Yard nonetheless paid Westcombe Dairy in Somerset, in addition to the producers Hafod and Pitchfork, so they might not must bear the price of the theft “regardless of the numerous monetary blow”.
The superstar chef Jamie Oliver was amongst figures from the meals world who rallied round the retailer. He instructed his 10.5 million Instagram followers to be alert for “lorryloads of posh cheese” being bought “for affordable”.
“There was an amazing cheese theft. A number of the finest cheddar cheese on this planet has been stolen,” he wrote.
Oliver described it as a “actual disgrace”, including: “If anybody hears something about posh cheese going for affordable, it’s most likely some mistaken’uns.”
Tom Calver, the director of Westcombe Dairy in Westcombe, Somerset, produced among the stolen cheese and mentioned he was “vastly distressed” when he heard the information.
“I used to be actually involved about what it was and the implications of it. Neal’s Yard have been implausible,” he mentioned. “We’re simply attempting to assist them as a lot as attainable by encouraging folks to buy with them. It’s a big, very tough loss.”
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