Thieves who made off with more than 400,000 juvenile Sydney rock oysters from an Australian riverside mollusc farm are being hunted by police determined to facilitate a return of the tasty morsels.
AFP reports the molluscs have an estimated total value of Aus$350,000 (US$250,000) and were lifted from an oyster farm near the town of Taree, north of Sydney, New South Wales police said.
A total of over three hundred bags were stolen in the daring heist.
Latitude 31 Oyster Co, which runs the Sydney rock oyster farm on Manning River adjacent to Scotts Creek, revealed it had been the target of a “massive” oyster theft that had sparked the police hunt.
“Oyster theft impacts far more than just the individual farmer. It affects our businesses, our families and the reputation of the entire NSW oyster industry,” the business wrote in a social media post.
“There are a lot of good people in this industry, and we know farmers look out for each other.”
Australian police are on the hunt for thieves who made off with fresh Sydney rock oysters by packing over three hundred bags with their ill-gotten gains before disappearing. (Michelle Ostwald/picture alliance via Getty Images)
Oysters are a staple of brunch menus and seafood buffets across Australia, with local varieties famed for their rich, creamy flavour.
Grower Ryan Freeman told national broadcaster ABC he had lost a third of his stock.
“We probably get through 35,000 to 40,000 dozen at Christmas time,” he said.
“That’s why the thieves would have targeted them because they’re not going to be far off, they’re going to be able to sell them this Christmas,” he added.
“It’s going to have a massive impact.”
The business urged the community to look out for anyone who is trying to move, or has suddenly come into possession of, a large quantity of cocktail or bistro-sized oysters.
Police also cautioned anyone offered cheap oysters by previously unknown vendors to immediately contact authorities or report to the riverside crime scene they have now established.