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Once again, Wisconsin dairy producers have been reminded it’s not easy being cheesy. They’ve been victimized by a string of cheese crimes. This situation is not gouda. It’s enough to leave us feeling bleu.

The third theft of this year occurred recently in Oak Creek, where a semi-trailer containing 20,000 pounds of cheese was stolen from a parking lot. The driver told police he dropped the trailer off at 2 a.m. and returned to find it gone. It vanished like a block of Colby at a tailgate party.

The cheese, bound for New York, was valued at $46,000. Talk about scoring some major cheddar.

Which rat took the cheese? Police are sniffing around. “It’s unique. It’s a lot of cheese,” Capt. Mike Bolender said. “It’s a high-value property, and we’re gonna take it seriously like we would any theft.”

Because they’re a sharp bunch, Wisconsinites have long appreciated the value of cheese. After all, pouring melted cheese over vegetables is the only way to make them edible. Suddenly thieves have awakened to the smell of our dairy air. Cheese may not be as elusive as “Hamilton” tickets, but it has spawned a cottage industry.