North Yorkshire chef appeals to thieves after £25,000 worth of pies stolen
The van the pies were in was recovered in Middlesbrough - but the pies are still nowhere to be found
A Michelin-starred chef in North Yorkshire has appealed to thieves who stole his van with 2,500 pies inside to "do the right thing" and drop them somewhere so people in need can have them.
Tommy Banks, who owns two restaurants and a pub, posted on Instagram on Monday morning to say his van with £25,000 of stock in the back had been taken from just outside Ripon.
Mr Banks said in the video that the stock - including steak and ale, turkey and butternut squash pies, as well as gravy and custard - was for York Christmas Market.
He urged the thieves to drop the pies somewhere such as a community centre.
Mr Banks also asked anyone who is offered pies from someone who is not him to report them to the police.
Mr Banks'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.
"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."
Mr Banks said;
"What was really making me sad this morning, I thought suddenly they're going to realise what's in the back and ditch the food.
"We talk about zero waste and when you've got just short of a tonne of food that's probably been ditched, it would be good if it could find its way to people who need it."
He added that his team were "much less bothered about the van as they're bothered about the pies" as it was a week's worth of stock.
The van has been found in Middlesbrough - with an update from North Yorkshire police:
"North Yorkshire Police received a report on 2 December that a refrigerated vehicle containing valuable food stock including pies, had been stolen from a business park in Melmerby near Ripon over the weekend of 29 November to 2 December 2024.
"The vehicle, a white Fiat Ducato van, was found abandoned with false number plates in the Hemlington area of Middlesbrough and was recovered by Cleveland Police on 29/30 November.
"Enquiries are ongoing with Cleveland Police as to the contents of the van when it was recovered.
"An investigation is ongoing into the theft and anyone who has any information is asked to get in touch."