Fraudsters steal 22 tonnes of high-value cheddar

Hafod cheddar produced in Llangybi, near Lampeter, was among the stolen cheese

Hundreds of truckles of cheddar worth more than £300,000 have been stolen from London cheese specialist Neal’s Yard Dairy.

Fraudsters posing as legitimate wholesalers received the 950 clothbound cheeses from the Southwark-based company before it was realised they were a fake firm.

Neal's Yard said it had still paid the producers of the cheese so the individual dairies would not have to bear the costs.

It is now trying to deal with the financial setback, a spokesperson said.

'Deeply embedded trust'

More than 22 tonnes of three artisan cheddars, including Hafod Welsh, Westcombe, and Pitchfork were taken, which are all award-winning and have a high monetary value.

Neal's Yard Dairy sells Hafod Welsh for £12.90 for a 300g piece, while Westcombe costs £7.15 for 250g and Pitchfork is priced at £11 for 250g.

Patrick Holden, who owns the farm where Hafod cheddar is made, said: "The artisan cheese world is a place where trust is deeply embedded in all transactions.

"It’s a world where one’s word is one’s bond. It might have caused the company a setback, but the degree of trust that exists within our small industry as a whole is due in no small part to the ethos of Neal’s Yard Dairy’s founders."

Westcombe Dairy's maturing cave is equipped with cheddar-turning robot, nicknamed Tina the Turner

Tom Calver, from Westcombe Dairy, said: "The process of making that cheese started almost three years ago, when we planted seeds for the animals’ feed.

"The amount of work that’s gone into nurturing the cows, emphasising best farming practice, 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."

The Met Police has confirmed it is investigating "the theft of a large quantity of cheese".