Bandits make off with over $1m in corned beef, cheese

BANDITS made off with over $1 million in cheese and corned beef from an Arima warehouse over a five-month period.

Police reported that on Thursday an employee of Arima Discount Mart Warehouse, on Carapo Main Road, Carapo, reported the theft. The employee made an inventory and physical check of the stocks and realised there was a discrepancy between the two.

Police said 1,042 cases of New Zealand cheese worth $1,073,260 were missing, along with 1,938 cases of Rainbow corned beef worth $695,742.

Police said after speaking with employees they received “useful information,” prompting them to believe that an arrest was imminent.

In November last year, bandits made off with over $1 million in cheese from an El Socorro warehouse. Police reported then that 300 cases of 20kg bulk cheddar cheese worth $360,000 and 626 cases of cheese valued $751,200 were stolen.

An employee of Hand Arnold Ltd of Chootoo Lane, El Socorro reported to the San Juan police that CCTV footage showed bandits making off with cases of cheese using a five-tonne truck.

Checks later revealed that the cheese was stolen over a period of time and the recording of the five-tonne truck was the most recent.