Tommy Banks’ stolen pie van found by police

A van stolen from chef Tommy Banks containing 2,500 pies has been found by police.

Banks had been due to drop the pies, worth £25,000, off at a Christmas market in York on Monday morning.

However, his van was stolen from a business park in Melmerby near Ripon last weekend.

North Yorkshire Police said the van was found abandoned with false number plates in the Hemlington area of Middlesbrough.

In a post on Instagram, Banks, whose restaurants include the Michelin-starred Black Swan at Oldstead, said: “The van has been found, and the pies.

"Unfortunately, though that’s in the police depot at the moment and that will go to a salvage yard. Looking at the van it’s almost certainly a write-off, it’s pretty badly damaged. Unfortunately, they’ve been in the back and all the pies are pretty damaged as well. The whole thing’s a total write-off to be honest which is a real shame. It’s just so much waste and it’s just rubbish.”

Banks thanked the public and other business owners for their support, including offers to lend him vans and pastry.

The chef launched Tommy’s Pie Shop last month to serve handmade pies to guests at York Christmas market, which is running until 22 December.

Banks said the team had managed to keep the Pie Shop open despite the theft.

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 has been asked to contact North Yorkshire Police on 101 and pass information to the Force Control Room.