Moscow who got the cream? ‘Cheese heist’ mystery swirls with Russia now under suspicion after crooks steal 22 tonnes of dairy products

The owners of a London dairy who cheated 22 tonnes of cheddar in what Jamie Oliver called a ‘cheese heist’ are wondering who the culprits might be – and now some suspicions are turning to Russia.

Neal’s Yard Dairy mistakenly shipped 950 wheels, worth £300,000, to fraudsters who thought they were a legitimate wholesaler.

The company said it had continued to pay Hafod, Westcombe and Pitchfork, the cheese makers, despite the “significant financial hit”.

No one knows where the cheese is, but there are rumors that the theft was organized by criminals who want to smuggle it into Russia.

Certain food products have been banned in Russia since 2014, after Moscow banned imports in response to EU sanctions over its annexation of Crimea and support for rebels in Ukraine.

“A staggering 22 tonnes of premium Cheddar worth £300,000 have gone missing, leaving the cheese world reeling.”

Neil’s Yard said it was working with police to identify suspects in the so-called ‘Grilled Cheese Robbery’, but no arrests have been made.

Sarah Stewart, managing director and co-owner of the dairy, said she received an “unusually large” order over the phone from a man who spoke with a French accent but in perfect English, reports The Sunday Times.

Stewart said: “We asked industry colleagues about the buyer and got very good feedback from our contacts in France.

“I got a contract from this person who had very compelling information: the right information about the company, a logo, that sort of thing.

“There are sanctions in Russia and a strong market for luxury food because there is no legitimate way to get hold of it.

“I have no idea if that happened to our cheese.”

Responding to the news on Instagram, celebrity chef Jamie said: “In a shocking turn of events, Neal’s Yard Dairy has fallen victim to a theft of epic proportions.

“A staggering 22 tonnes of premium Cheddar worth £300,000 have gone missing, leaving the cheese world reeling.”

“Cheese enthusiasts are advised to be aware of suspiciously large quantities of premium Cheddar on the black market,” he added.

— Remember, if the deal seems too good to be true, it probably is! Let’s find these cheese thieves.

Neal’s Yard appealed to cheesemongers worldwide to contact them if they suspect the stolen cheese has been sold – clarifying that the cloth-bound cheddars come in a 10kg or 24kg format with the labels detached.

Patrick Holden, who owns the farm where Hafod Cheddar is produced, said: “It might seem naïve to be the victim of a scam, but the truth is that the world of artisan cheese is a place where trust is deeply rooted in all transactions.

“This fraudulent customer’s breach of trust is a violation of the atmosphere of good faith and respect that all of Neal’s Yard Dairy’s business dealings have embodied over the years.”

In a post on its website, Neal’s Yard said that while the cheese will never be recovered, their priority is to “openly share what happened and prevent it from happening to other businesses.”

A spokesman for the force said: “On Monday 21st October we received a report of the theft of a large quantity of cheese from a manufacturer based in Southwark.

— Investigations into the circumstances are ongoing.