Man arrested in big cheese heist breakthrough

A Metropolitan Police spokesman said officers have arrested a 63-year-old man 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 inquiries. Inquiries remain ongoing,” police said.

Neal’s Yard, a London-based artisan cheese retailer and distributor, said it delivered more than 950 wheels of cheddar worth more than $A500,000 to the alleged fraudster posing as a wholesale distributor for a major French retailer before realising what had happened.

The company said it still paid Hafod, Westcombe and Pitchfork, the producers of the cheese, so they would not have to bear the cost “despite the significant financial blow”.

Neal’s Yard Dairy called out to cheesemongers around the world to contact them if they suspect they have been offered or sold the stolen cheese, particularly clothbound cheddars in a 10kg or 24kg format with the tags detached.

Tom Calver, director of Westcombe Dairy, produced some of the stolen cheese and said he was “hugely distressed” when he heard the news.

Calver, 42, said he was concerned about the implications of the theft.

“It is a huge, very difficult loss,” he said.

Neal’s Yard said it was working with police to identify the perpetrators.

“It is ridiculous – out of all the things to steal in the world – 22 tonnes of cheese?” Calver said.

“What it does show, which I am amazed about, is the value people put on these amazing artisan foods.”

Celebrity chef Jamie Oliver asked his followers on social media to be alert for “lorry loads of posh cheese” being sold “for cheap”.

He told his 10.5 million followers: “There has been a grate cheese robbery. Some of the best cheddar cheese in the world has been stolen.”

Oliver described it as a: “real shame”, adding: “if anyone hears anything about posh cheese going for cheap, it’s probably some wrong’uns.”

“Are they going to unpeel it from the cloth, and cut it and grate it and get rid of it in the fast food industry, in the commercial industry? I don’t know – it feels like a really weird thing to nick.”

Calver’s Westcombe cheddar is aged for 12 to 18 months and he said the stolen cheese was produced 15 months ago.