Dutch cheesemakers have been hit by a spate of top-end thefts, prompting a dairy federation to warn farmers to tighten security around their storerooms.

At least six cheesemakers have been burgled in the last year, with criminals seeming to have a nose for ripened Boerenkaas, or farmhouse cheese, which is a Dutch speciality protected by an appellation.

“We’ve never had a problem before last year, when at least six farmers were burgled and had their cheeses stolen,” said Irene van de Voort, chair of the Dutch Dairy Farmers’ Producer Federation (BBZ).

“We are worried about the situation and have advised our members to increase security,” she told Agence France-Presse.

The NRC, a respected daily tabloid, reported on Friday that at least 8.5 tonnes of cheese valued at almost €90,000 (£67,500) had been taken during the heists.



It said the largest theft happened in the small southern town of Hellouw, near Den Bosch, where about 200 of the famous yellow discs, worth about €26,500, were stolen from a cheesemaker in one night. In the south-western city of Bergen op Zoom, thieves stole about 150 cheeses weighing 12kg (26lb) each.

Who is taking the cheese remains a mystery, with no clues having been left behind. Police officials, who declined to be named, said the thefts were being investigated as isolated incidents.

Cheese farmer Marjo Huijsmans told NRC it appeared the thieves knew how to pick out the best cheeses. “They left the newly made cheeses and took a selection of the ripening cheeses,” she said.

The stolen cheeses were almost certainly destined for the export market, said Onno Boersma of the Dutch Dairy Trade Association.

“Firstly, each cheese is stamped with a number, so you can see exactly where the cheese comes from. Also, the Dutch cheese sector is not that big … if you tried to sell it, it will be spotted immediately,” he told AFP.

Making Boerenkaas “is a specialised skill and it takes special knowledge to make it. It’s a very valuable product,” he said. “These farmers are hardworking people, who not only have to milk their cows but hand-make their cheese. Imagine how frustrating it is when you realise that your hard work has disappeared.”