Great Christmas pie hunt ends after police recover stolen van containing £25,000 of Michelin-starred chef's pastries
4 December 2024, 08:17
The hunt for a van containing £25,000 worth of Michelin-starred Christmas pies has come to an end after police recovered the stolen vehicle - alongside the spoiled goods.
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Tommy Banks, a renowned chef who has previously been a judge on shows including the Great British Menu, appealed to the thieves "to do the right thing" following the incident, begging for the return of the pilfered pies.
Sadly, however, the pastries will have to be "written off" - alongside the vehicle, after they were badly damaged and left unrefrigerated by the thieves.
Taking to social media, the chef revealed criminals had made off with 2,500 of his finest pies on Monday.
Banks, who owns two restaurants and a pub in North Yorkshire, said: "They’re driving around with boxes of pies with my name all over them,”.
In a new video entitled "final pie update", the chef thanked the "amazing" support of everyone who has reached out to help.
He also revealed that police had recovered the vehicle with false plates, with the van left in a state that likely means it has to be scrapped.
"Unfortunately not the news I was hoping to share," wrote the chef in the accompanying caption.
"The van has been found with fake plates on it by the police but is badly damaged and will almost certainly be written off.
"The Pies are on the van but have been damaged and not refrigerated so are also written off unfortunately. Not the ending to this story I was hoping for.
"Just want to say a huge thank you to all the well-wishers and businesses who have offered to help us @tommyspieshop and a massive thank you to all the team who are working so hard to restock.
Adding: "I encourage everyone to keep things as safe as possible there is a lot of similar crime happening at the moment unfortunately.🙏🏻 wishing everyone a safe and happy festive period."
The chef had previously explained that stolen items included pies filled with steak and ale, turkey and cranberry, and butternut squash, with enough pies taken to stock Tommy’s Pie Shop for a week.
He explained that the refrigerated vehicle disappeared from Barker business park in Melmerby, near Ripon, on Monday morning.
The chef’s video contained the caption: “So @matthewalockwood went into @madeinoldstead this morning to pick up the van and it has been stolen.
“These guys had loaded up the van with stock for @tommyspieshop today and left plugged in overnight.
"I’m guessing the thieves didn’t realise they were stealing 2,500 pies along with the van! The pies are all in boxes with my name on so not very easy to sell.
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“If you are the thieves and read this I urge you to drop the pies off somewhere. So we can at least give them to people who need food and they are not wasted.”
The chef explained that the pies were due to be delivered to a pop-up pie stall at York Christmas Market, but staff went to the vehicle to discover it had disappeared.
"I know you’re a criminal, but maybe just do something nice because it’s Christmas and maybe we can feed a few thousand people with these pies that you’ve stolen, do the right thing,” he added.
North Yorkshire police has since said it had been informed of the theft.
They've urged anyone with information to get in touch with information.
