The fraudsters posed as a legitimate wholesale distributor.
A 63-year-old man has been arrested on suspicion of stealing over 22,000 Kilograms Of Cheese from a London famous Neal's Yard Dairy, according to BBC. Detectives investigating the theft of 950 wheels of cheese from the dairy shop have arrested the suspect on charges of fraud by false representation and handling stolen goods.
Neal's Yard Dairy reported that the cheese were delivered to the fraudsters, who falsely claimed to be a wholesale distributor for a major French retailer. It was only after the transaction that the dairy realized they had fallen victim to a scam.
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According to BBC, the man was taken to a south London police station where he was questioned. He has been bailed pending further enquiries, which are ongoing. Fraudsters posing as legitimate wholesalers received the 950 clothbound cheeses from the Southwark-based company before it was realised they were a fake firm.
The news of this cheese theft caught the attention of many people worldwide, including common British people and celebrity chefs.
Celebrity chef and restaurateur Jamie Oliver had also posted about the theft on his Instagram page, writing: "In a shocking turn of events, Neal's Yard Dairy has fallen victim to a brazen heist of epic proportions. A staggering 22 tonnes of premium cheddar, worth 300,000 pounds (over Rs 3 crore), have vanished, leaving the cheese world reeling."
Neal's Yard Dairy later took to Instagram to thank "everyone who has rallied to support us in the last few days." They wrote, "Since sharing the news of our theft, we have received an overwhelming number of calls, messages, and visits."