Cheddar Heist in London: Thieves Carry Away 22,000 Kilograms of Luxury Cheese from Neal's Yard Dairy
LONDON — In one of the most brazen scams imaginable, thieves stole 22,000 kilograms of luxury cheddar from Neal's Yard Dairy, one of the most renowned London-based cheese manufacturers. The burglars did their trick by posing as wholesale distributors for a respected French retailer to carry out the heist, cheating the company of almost 950 wheels of artisanal cheddar.
Neal's Yard Dairy sources the finest cheeses and dealt, in initial good faith, by sending them the cheddar believing this to be a legitimate order. However when later found out the cheat, the cheese had vanished.
Neal's Yard Dairy has promised to reimburse its small-scale producers, such as Hafod, Westcombe, and Pitchfork, so that the farmers are not affected by the incident. This promise reflects the company's commitment to its artisanal suppliers, even during difficult times.
The Metropolitan Police, who received the report of the theft on 21 October, have since launched an investigation but have made no arrest to date. In a statement, police confirmed that they are carrying on with the inquiries relating to the circumstances surrounding the heist.
Celebrity chef Jamie Oliver took to his Instagram handle to share his account of the incident with his fans. He has described this 'brazen heist of epic proportions'. The cheese alone is worth £300,000, an estimated ₹3 crore. He claims that the event has come as a shock and asserted that the fraudulence perpetrated here has left everyone in shock.
The heist has generated much debate in culinary society as well as on the social platform to raise more awareness regarding the risks that low-scale production and artisanal enterprises face.