A British cook has asked the thieves who stole 2,500 pies to give them to the needy rather than wasting them.
Key Takeaways
1. A food van had pies stolen that were worth £25,000.
2. Specialty food thefts have recently increased in the UK.
Yorkshire chef Tommy Banks is adopting a unique method of dealing with theft: he is inviting the perpetrators to donate the stolen items.
The thieves stole a truck filled with 2,500 of Banks’ gourmet pies, valued at £25,000, which included steak and ale, turkey, and butternut squash.
Banks intended the pies for a York Christmas market. Banks, the owner of two Michelin-starred restaurants and a pub, posted a passionate appeal on Instagram despite the truck’s insurance coverage.
He advised the burglars to be kind and give the pies to a nearby community center or similar location, implying that they might feed thousands of people in need.
A similar, larger-scale robbery in October took approximately 1,000 wheels of artisanal cheddar cheese worth £300,000 from Neal’s Yard Dairy in London.
Despite a thorough police investigation and a public plea by renowned chef Jamie Oliver, the cheese is still missing.
Banks’ uncommon reaction emphasizes not just the financial consequences of such crimes but also the possibility of compassion and community solidarity in the face of illegal conduct.
The recent increase in food thefts involving high-value artisanal items highlights a rising worry in the UK food sector.
FAQ
1. "What was taken?"
Someone stole a van that contained about 2,500 gourmet pies intended for a Christmas fair.
2. "What were the pies worth?"
The stolen pies were worth an estimated £25,000, or $32,000 USD.
3. "How did the chef react?"
Instead of dwelling on the loss, the chef appealed to the thieves' humanity, requesting that they give the pies to those in need.
4. Are there any comparable incidents?
Indeed, a significant theft of cheese occurred recently, highlighting a concerning trend in artisanal food theft.
5. "What kinds of pies did they steal?"
The robbers took a number of gourmet pies, including steak and ale, turkey, and butternut squash pies.
