In recent years, the crime of stealing high-value food has evolved into a sophisticated endeavor that increasingly appeals to criminals. For Chris Swales, a 54-year-old smoked-salmon producer, the latest twist was a particularly insidious one. He was staked out at the gates of an industrial estate in east London, looking out on would-be car thieves for the Met. The criminalization of luxury food theft is not just producers alarmed by the new food criminals — law enforcement is concerned, too.
Food theft is hardly a new crime, although it’s becoming increasingly common. According to a report by the British Standards Institute, food is now the commodity “most at risk of theft in global supply chains.” Food is the latest and most brazen target, forcing a national reckoning with a fundamental injustice. In turn, that leaves many artisan producers in the lurch financially.
That problem came into stark relief in 2012. Thieves made off with more than £12.5 million of the sticky confection from a storage hub in Quebec, Canada. Parmigiano Reggiano, one of the world’s most lauded cheeses, has historically been a popular mark for villains. Since 1998, Jamie Montgomery has had to endure a mother’s worst nightmare. During one recent robbery, thieves made off with £30,000 of his award-winning cheddar from his warehouse in Somerset.
In 2013, the UK nearly came crashing down in a culinary catastrophe after uncooked products marketed as beef were discovered to contain equine meat. This shocking news led to the creation of the National Food Crime Unit. Since then, the situation has not improved. In 2021, food- and drink-related thefts made up 18% of all supply-chain thefts in the UK.
The increase in fraudulent orders has especially alarmed the luxury food industry. Neal’s Yard, a UK cheese producer, was recently taken in by a sophisticated fraud scheme. A confident scammer posing as a buyer for a large French retailer managed to order an astounding 22 metric tonnes of their prize-winning cheddar. This incident is indicative of a troubling trend that has artisan producers reeling with outstanding invoices and a lot of uncertainty.
Alice Rizzuti, a criminologist at the University of Hull, highlighted Brexit’s role as a complicating factor in worsening food security. “People might have thought Brexit would have meant more controls and checks on the border,” she said. At the same time, Swales said that he was tired of getting scammed, after one such interaction with someone trying to scam him.
“I was so furious that I’d been duped,” he says. “Then all these other stories started coming out…” – Chris Swales
In an alarming incident in 2023, thieves targeted an unattended service station on the M5 in Worcestershire. They absconded with a trailer loaded with £50,000 worth of cheese! In fact, custom officers in Russia have gone so far as to announce seizing deliveries of specific cheeses being transported through the country’s borders.
All producers impacted by these fraudulent activities have been deeply frustrated, as deeply expressed in a recent phone call to me by fellow affected producer John Gill.
“I mean, I don’t even know if you’re who you say you are,” he tells me when we speak over the phone. – John Gill
According to industry insiders, including John Farrand, food theft is nothing new. It has certainly blossomed into a much more planned and much more strategic problem at this point.
“But last year, it seems like these thieves stepped up the level by which they operated. What they understood about the food that they were stealing and the way they communicated with these small food and drink producers was – dare I say – quite clever.” – John Farrand
Farrand further wants to emphasize that the motivations behind these crimes is different, and dangerously so.
“I think [this crime] has always been here but it’s got smarter – probably because there’s more money in it for the robbers.” – John Farrand
Countering these trends and the serious implications of food fraud, some officials in the UK continue to insist that food fraud is not a significant concern. Prevention of food crime The National Food Crime Unit has raised awareness of the need for due diligence. Companies can take a powerful defensive step by proactively vetting their suppliers and customers.
“Although it’s our view that food fraud in the UK remains at a low level, the drivers and motivations for food fraud are evolving… Food businesses can help ensure they don’t become a victim of theft or fraud by doing their due diligence with suppliers and customers.” – National Food Crime Unit
Challenges remain for law enforcement agencies. According to Action Fraud, the National Fraud Intelligence Bureau is already overwhelmed with more than 850,000 reports annually. Few of these cases are able to be pursued any further.
“Reports are assessed against a number of criteria, but not every case of fraud will result in a judicial outcome.” – Action Fraud
As for Swales, he wishes local authorities would do more when they see food thefts and the like.
“We’re all waiting for the outcome of this,” says Swales. – Chris Swales
Farrand agreed, stating that the consequences of theft are often “downright crushing,” and can shut down small businesses and destroy lives.
“We’d like it to be taken more seriously by the police,” says Farrand, “because it is theft and it can ruin businesses, and therefore it can ruin people’s lives.” – John Farrand
In this climate of uncertainty, forward-thinking producers like Swales and Gill are still trying to make a positive impact in an industry filled with risk. As luxury food theft becomes increasingly sophisticated, it raises pressing concerns regarding security measures and regulatory oversight in the global food supply chain.