Bee theft article.

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A cheap bolt cutters would cut that chain and lock off in a flash. Part of my last job entailed gaining entry to properties it is very easy when you know how.
 
true, easy enough with the right tools. Thankfully though, the people who were tampering with my hive are not blessed with intelligence, they felt the need to burn through a hive strap instead of just undoing it.
 
Small scale bee keeping.

Hello. I've just re-started beekeeping after a theft so this seems a fitting first post.

I had two cedar hives on an allotment. They were taken over Winter in January 2009.

I found this so depressing and demoralising that I stopped beekeeping altogether having saved for years to set up my hives. I appreciate this is a livelihood for many and theft has serious implications for professional beekeepers.

I just wanted to add that for the small scale beekeeper it can cause huge emotional distress. Not least, that the theft may well have been carried out by another beekeeper.

It's three and a half years later and I have again saved. I have a polystyrene hive this time, very near my home. I again, hope to increase the number of my hives as money and time permit.

Fingers crossed!
 
Professional thieves will always be able to get what they go after. But thefts also range through opportunists and vandals as well. Several strategies and ideas have been talked about and some even used around our way.

Concealment is one option, not just from paths and roads, what shows on Google is shiny roofs in orderly patterns. Paint them or use felt. An alternative is to make them more obvious, if the site is overlooked by houses get them on your side as an extra pair of eyes and make sure they can be seen from the houses. Easy access for your vehicle has the downside of easy access for a thief.

Otherwise any thief is looking for maximum gain for minimum effort and risk so you need to shift the balance. Make everything less attractive and harder to sell on by marking everything. Postcodes, phone numbers, branding, paint, marker pens. If you want to paint daisies on, that's one strategy - even an expensive bike is far less attractive painted pink. Brand new cedar is always going to be more attractive than painted ply.

Always strap the hive, ideally to the heavy slab it sits on, a chain or cable would take longer to cut and any thief would need to be 'going equipped'. External chains are good, a link using internal chains, cables or rods would be better if you can devise one. Not a neighbourly strategy but a lot of deterrence is based on the idea that easier pickings will be available elsewhere.
 
Professional thieves will always be able to get what they go after. But thefts also range through opportunists and vandals as well.

I think the sad fact is that bees are stolen by beekeepers. Even if they were worth their weight in gold, beehives need to be moved with some knowledge and protective clothing if the exercise is to be successful (i.e. profitable).

In just the same way I'd say very few cars are stolen by people who do not know how to drive.
 
Sorry... concealment is your friend really.

PH




Concealment...........or as out in the open as possible with a large distance from a boundary/hedge/wood etc

Thieves don't like doing much in exposed environments.

Beautiful sight below this, isn't it. One of my favourite photos (but not my hives alas).
 
Concealment...........or as out in the open as possible with a large distance from a boundary/hedge/wood etc

Best of both worlds...hidden in plain sight?

zebra-striped-camouflage-thumb.jpg
 
Dazzle cammo... excellent pic.

Did the jurnoever turn up?

PH
 

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