English Lessons

A Pie Heist at Christmas

In northern England, thieves stole a van containing 2,500 pies valued at £25,000 from Michelin-starred chef Tommy Banks. The pies were meant for the York Christmas Market, and Banks shared the news on Instagram, expressing frustration and disbelief. He said the pies, nearly a ton in weight, all had his name on them, making them hard to sell. In a heartfelt plea, Banks asked the thieves to return the pies to a community center so they could feed people in need during the holiday season. He reminded them that Christmas is a time for kindness, even if they were criminals.

The police later discovered the abandoned van with false license plates, but the condition and location of the pies remain unknown. Authorities are still investigating the case and urging the public to provide any helpful information. This theft follows a recent case in which scammers stole over 24 tons of artisanal cheese from another British company. These unusual food heists have caught public attention and raised concerns about theft during the festive season.

I. Matching Type: Match the words on the left with their correct definitions on the right.

II. Fill in the Blanks. Use the words from the vocabulary matching list

Michelin-starred, van, heist, abandoned, license plates, artisanal, thieves, investigation, community center, scammers

1. The stolen ___ was later found, but the pies were missing.

2. Tommy Banks is a ___ chef known for his high-quality food.

3. Police are continuing their ___ to find the criminals.

4. The ___ used false ___ to hide the stolen vehicle.

5. The chef asked the criminals to leave the pies at a ___ to help people.

6. The ___ cheese theft also shocked many people in the UK.

7. The stolen pies weighed almost a ton and were made by ___ cooks.

8. ___ took the pies even though they couldn’t sell them easily.

9. The van was found ___ without any sign of the pies.

10. ___ recently tricked a dairy company and took 24 tons of cheese.

III. Open-Ended Questions. Discuss your answers with your teacher.

1. What would you do if you found a van full of stolen food near your home?

2. Do you think the thieves should return the pies even though they are criminals? Why or why not?

3. How would you feel if something you worked hard on was stolen?

4. What are some ways people can show kindness during the holiday season?

5. Why do you think food thefts like this are becoming more common?

Thank you!

Source: https://edition.cnn.com/2024/12/03/travel/tommy-banks-stolen-pies-scli-intl/index.html