Man arrested for a 22-ton British cheese heist worth more than $600,000

The company said it was still paying Hafod, Westcombe and Pitchfork, the cheese’s producers, so they did not have to bear the costs “despite the significant financial hit”.

Neal’s Yard Dairy urged cheesemongers around the world to contact them if they suspect the stolen cheese has been offered or sold to them, especially linen-bound cheddars in 10kg or 24kg sizes with the tags removed .

Tom Calver, director of Westcombe Dairy, who produced some of the stolen cheese, said he was “extremely upset” when he heard the news.

Calver, 42, worried about the consequences of the theft.

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

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

“It’s ridiculous – of all the things in the world to steal – 22 tons of cheese?” Calver said.

“What it does show, which blows my mind, is the value people place on this amazing artisanal food.”

Celebrity chef Jamie Oliver asked his social media followers to be alert to ‘truckloads of fancy cheese’ being sold ‘for cheap’.

He told his 10.5 million followers: “There has been a 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 cheap cheese it’s probably some of the wrong things.”

His message said the cheese was worth £300,000 ($647,000).

“Are they going to peel it off the cloth, cut it and grate it and throw it away in the fast food industry, in the commercial industry? I don’t know, it feels really weird to steal.”

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