A stolen van that contained 2,500 pies belonging to a Michelin-starred chef has been found by police, but it is not known yet if the food was still inside.
Tommy Banks, who owns two restaurants and a pub in North Yorkshire, 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 over the weekend.
On Tuesday, North Yorkshire Police said the white Fiat Ducato van was found abandoned with false number plates in the Hemlington area of Middlesbrough.
They did not say whether the pies were still inside, adding: “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.”
Mr Banks said in the Instagram video that the stock – including steak and ale, turkey and butternut squash pies, as well as gravy and custard – was for York Christmas Market.
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He urged the thieves to drop the pies somewhere such as a community centre, adding: “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.”
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: “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 told the PA news agency: “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.