Man arrested in U.K. cheese heist where imposter stole $389,000 worth of cheddar

Authorities in London have arrested a 63-year-old man in connection
with the cheese heist of 2024, in which tens of thousands of pounds of
high-value cheddar were stolen from a major distributor.

London-based retailer and cheesemaker Neal’s Yard Dairy said it
learned on Wednesday that a suspect was in custody. The Metropolitan
Police confirmed to NPR that a man was detained on suspicion of fraud
by false representation and handling stolen goods.

“The man was taken to a south London police station where he was
questioned. He has since been bailed pending further enquiries," a
police spokesperson said.

Over the past week, the British artisanal cheese community has been
reeling after Neal’s Yard Dairy announced it had been the “victim of a
sophisticated fraud resulting in the loss of over £300,000 worth of
clothbound Cheddar” — the equivalent of more than $389,000.

“The theft involved a fraudulent buyer posing as a legitimate
wholesale distributor for a major French retailer, with the cheese
delivered before the discovery of the fraudulent identity,” the
company said.

The thief made off with 950 wheels — over 22 metric tons, or roughly
48,500 pounds — of Hafod, Westcombe and Pitchfork cheddar, it added.
The wheels came from three different artisan suppliers across England
and Wales.

“Between them, these cheeses have won numerous awards and are amongst
the most sought-after artisan cheeses in the U.K.,” Neal’s Yard Dairy
said. “The high monetary value of these cheeses likely made them a
particular target for the thieves.”

The crime cuts deep: Cheddar, which originated in a village by the
same name in Somerset, England, is the best-selling cheese in the U.K.
and a big source of national pride.

Last week, British celebrity chef Jamie Oliver explained in an
Instagram video that there is “only a small handful of real cheddar
cheese makers in the world,” and that’s where the stolen cheese came
from. He called it a “real shame.”

“This will slow Neal’s Yard being able to support all of their
cheesemakers over the next five years, I would imagine,” Oliver said.

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https://www.npr.org/2024/10/28/nx-s1-5168356/cheddar-cheese-stolen-neals-yard-dairy



Judith