Detectives investigating the crime said the man had been arrested on suspicion of fraud by false representation and handling stolen goods.
Neal’s Yard Dairy revealed in an Instagram post that it had been the victim of a theft that involved ‘a fraudulent buyer posing as a legitimate wholesale distributor for a major French retailer’.
Over 950 wheels of Hafod, Westcombe, and Pitchfork Cheddar, which had a combined value of more than £300,000, were stolen.
Neal’s Yard Dairy added that, despite the ‘significant financial blow’, it had honoured its commitment to its small-scale suppliers and had already paid the three artisan cheesemakers in full.
Celebrity chef Jamie Oliver subsequently brought attention to the incident, dubbing it the ‘grate cheese robbery’.
In his own Instagram post, Oliver urged his followers to be on alert for ‘lorryloads of very posh cheese’ being ‘sold for cheap’.
A Metropolitan police spokesperson said the man arrested was taken to a south London police station where he was questioned.
The force added that he has ‘since been bailed pending further inquiries’.
In an update, Neal’s Yard Dairy said: On 30th October we learned that the Metropolitan Police made an arrest in connection with the theft.
“We are grateful for the progress they have made, and we will continue to support their investigation in any way we can.”
