A Michelin-starred chef has appealed to thieves who stole his van which had 2,500 pies inside to “do the right thing” and give them to people in need.

Tommy Banks, who owns two restaurants and a pub in North Yorkshire, announced on Instagram that his van carrying £25,000 worth of stock had been taken. The refrigerated vehicle was due to make a delivery to the chef’s pop-up pie stall at York Christmas Market, but staff found it had disappeared from Barker business park in Melmerby, near Ripon, on Monday morning.

Banks urged the perpetrators to drop the pies somewhere such as a community centre, adding: “I know you’re a criminal, but maybe just do something nice because it’s Christmas and maybe we can feed a few thousand people with these pies that you’ve stolen, do the right thing.”

He also asked anyone who is offered pies from someone who is not him to report them to the police.

The chef’s video contained the caption: “So @matthewalockwood went into @madeinoldstead this morning to pick up the van and it has been stolen.

“These guys had loaded up the van with stock for @tommyspieshop today and left plugged in overnight. I’m guessing the thieves didn’t realise they were stealing 2,500 pies along with the van! The pies are all in boxes with my name on so not very easy to sell.

“If you are the thieves and read this I urge you to drop the pies off somewhere. So we can at least give them to people who need food and they are not wasted.”

The chef, a veteran judge on BBC show Great British Menu, added the stolen items included pies filled with steak and ale, turkey and cranberry, and butternut squash, and would have been enough to stock Tommy’s Pie Shop for a week.

North Yorkshire police said it had been informed of the theft and asked anyone with information to get in touch, the BBC reported.