Jamie Oliver labels Neal's Yard cheese theft as 'heist of epic proportions'

Cheddar stolen from London cheese specialist Neal’s Yard Dairy could be sold abroad, say officials.

Around £300,000 worth of cheddar was stolen from the well-known dairy by ‘sophisticated scammers’ posing as a well-known wholesaler.

Truckles of Patrick Holden's Hafod Welsh Cheddar was among the goods stolen in the alleged scam on 21st October.

Met Police is investigating and Neal’s Yard has said it is working with international authorities to identify the scammers.

The high-value, award-winning cheeses, which also included Westcombe and Pitchfork, are sold for as much as £45 per kg.

The Dairy has said it is ‘overwhelmed’ with support following the theft of 22 tonnes worth of cheese.

Celebrity chef, Jamie Oliver, has branded the theft “a brazen heist of epic proportions” and urged cheese enthusiasts to be on the lookout for “suspiciously large quantities of premium cheddar on the black market”.

The Naked Chef asked his followers to be alert for "lorryloads of very posh cheese" being sold "for cheap".

He went on to describe it as a “great cheese robbery” adding that "some of the best cheddar cheese in the world has been stolen."

In a post on Instagram Neal’s Yard Dairy wrote: “To everyone who has rallied to support us in the last few days — thank you.

“Since sharing the news of our theft, we have received an overwhelming number of calls, messages, and visits. We are truly touched that so many people in the artisan cheese community and beyond are standing with us. It's a reminder of why we love the work we do.

“Many of you have asked how you can help. To that, we say: continue to support British and Irish cheese. Hafod, Pitchfork, and Westcombe are special examples of farmhouse Cheddar. Eat them. Celebrate them.

“We will be here, championing British and Irish cheese, for a long time to come.”