A Con Artist Stole Nearly $400,000 Of Premium Cheddar After Posing As A Cheese Buyer For A Supermarket
Fans of artisanal cheese in the United Kingdom have been rattled by the theft of tens of thousands of pounds of premium cheddar worth nearly $400,000.
The London-based retailer and cheese maker Neal’s Yard Dairy was the victim of a con artist who pretended to be a cheese buyer for a French supermarket.
According to the company, the “sophisticated fraud” resulted in the loss of over £300,000 worth of high-value clothbound cheddar cheese wheels, which is 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,” said the company.
The scammers pulled off this cheese heist by first sending an email inquiry. Soon after, they engaged in months of negotiations. Throughout their communications, they consistently showed a comprehensive understanding of the cheese industry.
The thieves were able to make off with 950 wheels of Hafod, Westcombe, and Pitchfork cheddar cheese—over 22 metric tons, or about 48,500 pounds. Neal’s had agreed to deliver the cheese to a warehouse, where it was later picked up by the suspects.
The stolen goods came from three different artisanal suppliers across England and Wales. These cheeses are nothing like the processed slices sold at supermarkets.
They come in clothbound wheels and take 12 to 18 months to age properly. They have also won multiple awards and are some of the most sought-after cheeses in the U.K. The thieves likely targeted them due to their high monetary value.
“The process of making that cheese started almost three years ago when we planted seeds for the animals’ feed,” said Tom Calver of Westcombe Dairy.
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“The amount of work that’s gone into nurturing the cows, emphasizing best farming practices, and transforming the milk one batch at a time to produce the best possible cheese is beyond estimation. And for that to be stolen…it’s absolutely terrible.”
Cheddar originated in a village in Somerset, England. It is the best-selling cheese in the U.K. and is regarded as a national treasure, which makes the crime cut even deeper.
The identities of the cheese culprits are still unknown. Patrick Holden, the owner of the farm that produced Hafod cheese, thinks they will try to sell the cheese in a foreign market, possibly Russia or the Middle East.
“Because people won’t ask questions there,” said Holden. “I think if they tried to sell it closer to home, they’d find it difficult because the international artisan community is very connected.”
Neal’s Yard Dairy has undoubtedly taken a financial hit from the crime. The company has already paid the artisan cheese makers in full.
Now, it is taking steps to sort out its finances and continue developing British artisan cheese. It is also working with law enforcement to track down the suspects. Hopefully, it’s not too late to find some of the precious cheese.
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