Jamie Oliver asks fans for ‘cheese robbery’ help

Celebrity chef Jamie Oliver is rallying cheese lovers to be on the lookout for “lorryloads of posh cheese” being sold at discount prices, following a massive heist where over 22 tons of cheddar were stolen from Neal’s Yard Dairy, a renowned cheese specialist in London.

The fraudsters, who posed as legitimate wholesalers for a major French retailer, managed to acquire 950 clothbound cheeses worth more than £300,000 before their deception was uncovered. In an emotional Instagram post, Oliver referred to the incident as a “great cheese robbery,” lamenting, “Some of the best cheddar cheese in the world has been stolen.”

Reflecting on the absurdity of the situation, Oliver expressed, “It feels like a really weird thing to nick.” He went on to speculate about the thieves’ intentions: “Are they going to unpeel it from the cloth, cut it up, grate it, and use it in the fast food industry? I don’t know.”

The stolen cheese included three award-winning artisan varieties: Hafod Welsh, Westcombe, and Pitchfork. Pricing for these cheeses highlights their premium nature, with Hafod Welsh retailing at £12.90 for 300g, Westcombe at £7.15 for 250g, and Pitchfork at £11 for 250g. Despite the hefty loss, Neal’s Yard Dairy confirmed they have compensated the cheese producers, taking on the financial burden while cooperating with police to track down the thieves.

In a proactive measure, the dairy company urged cheesemongers worldwide to alert them if they suspect they may have purchased the stolen cheeses, particularly those sold in 10kg or 24kg clothbound formats with detached tags.

The Metropolitan Police are currently investigating the theft, stating, “On Monday we received a report of the theft of a large quantity of cheese from a manufacturer based in Southwark. Inquiries are ongoing into the circumstances.” To date, no arrests have been made in connection with this bizarre incident.