3 weeks ago
8
A stolen van which contained 2,500 pies has been found by police, a Michelin-starred chef has confirmed.
Tommy Banks, who runs award-winning restaurants in North Yorkshire, said the van had been due to drop off the pies, worth £25,000, at York Christmas Market on Monday morning.
However, he believed the white Fiat Ducato had been snatched from a business park in Melmerby, near Ripon, on Sunday night.
The refrigerated van was found abandoned with false number plates in the Hemlington area of Middlesbrough, North Yorkshire Police said.
Mr Banks said he did not yet know if the large amount of steak and ale, turkey and cranberry, and butternut squash pies were still stored in the back.
The force previously said an investigation had been launched into the theft and asked anyone with information to get in touch.
Listen to highlights from North Yorkshire on BBC Sounds, catch up with the latest episode of Look North or tell us a story you think we should be covering here.
