Cheese worth $187K stolen from Tavistock dairy plant

Someone has made off with $187,000 worth of cheese fromSaputo Dairy Productsin Tavistock.

Investigators with Oxford County OPP are reviewing security surveillance footage in an attempt to determine who was behind the cheese heist.

OPP say on Aug. 9, around 7:45 a.m.,a man entered the business on Hope Street W. and provided paperwork for a large quantity of cheese to be delivered to New Brunswick. The product was loaded onto a blue transport truck and the man left.

The company did not realize the shipment was stolen until the delivery failed to arrive at the location early the following week.

Saputo Dairy contacted police onAug. 13 to notify them that they had received fraudulent paperwork for the delivery and the cheese was missing.

OPP Const.Ed Sanchuk said thieves could attempt to sell cheese online or through stores.

He noted $187,000 worth of cheese "is quite a large amount of cheese to get rid of." He did not know what kind of cheese was taken.

"Businesses in the area or the surrounding area or maybe across the province, if you're being approached by unknown individuals attempting to sell you large quantities of cheese, please do me a favour, please have the courage to pick up the phone and contact us," Sanchuk said.

He said food theft is common but it usually happens in grocery stores.

"This is a first for me with regards to an individual walking in and actually providing paperwork," Sanchuk said.

Anyone with information is asked to call Oxford County OPP at 1-888-310-1122 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8478.

CBC Kitchener-Waterloo reached out to Saputo Dairy Products but no one was immediately available to comment on the case.