Hives Stolen in Purbrook, Hampshire

[BKF Admin]

Is there a way with Country Watch to get email or text alerts of stolen hives in your area?

 

[Worldsend]

Publicity

Put a board up outside the field appealing for Info

The road to Denmead is very quiet and narrow and they must have had a van parked nearby which would have caused an obstruction.
Only locals generally use the road so you might capture a witness

Worldsend

 

[BKF Admin]

I wonder if there is a conection between all the apiaries that have been hit in the last couple of years?

Are they all members of the same local association?
Have all the apiaries been visited by the same person/people at some time in the last couple of years?

Are the apiaries on a list somewhere?
Is the person/people a member of more than one local association and they all have produced a list of locations/owner's address?

I dont believe all these local incidents are unrelated.

Whats the connection!!!!

 

[beestingjohn]

This sounds like a nightmare, is there a list of the thefts and their locations in the last few years.
As a New Bee who is about to start buying beehives and equipment I would like to check if being offered stolen gear and if so, how do you act, is there a Hampshire police coordinator, someone to inform?
I would hazard a guess that nothing practical is in place?
We may have to become part of the Big Society and sort this ourselves?

 

[fredbloggs]

Yes admin, i totally agree that this is organised with a common theme. Stealing 8 hives is a logistical operation. Not only do you have to transport them (2 estates or big van) you need somewhere to locate the booty?

Stable door bolting i know but for others crime prevention is now key. It has come to a sad point when an essential tool for bee keeping is an encaustic iron?

Time for a concerted response

Regards

FB

 

[drstitson]

preventing thefts

admin - on a relevent related note don't post hive locations on here!

 

[Tom Bick]

Driston I am not aware that anyone has ever posted hive locations on the forum and is likely to.

 

[nelletap]

Was hive theft always a problem? Has there been a recent increase? I wonder whether things like Google earth make it easier for people to identify locations?
It seems that people have to have some knowledge to be prepared to do this. Most people I know who are not Beeks are very wary of bees en masse. Do people think the culprits are more likely to sell on the hives complete or to use them to create honey?
It does seem that the key to this is dealing with either the sale of the items or detecting where they may be kept. It also seems possible that if the level has become a nuisance perhaps one of the crime prevention teams will think it worth while to spend a little time working with a group of beekeepers to develop some guidelines and strategies for avoidance and detection.
There are quite a few places where we give our details and people could deduce we have bees. For example, if we join a cash and carry to get sugar; if we advertise honey - and the fact we have to put our addresses on honey labels is another source.
It might be good to establish a tick list of ways in which a beekeeper makes themselves known as such so that if there is any theft it would be easier to spot any common aspects. A policeman or similar may not be aware of some of them so may find it helpful?
Tricia

 

[bruce]

Well - the BBKA swarm collection list provides name, address and telephone number of swarm collectors. If I was stealing bees colonies it'd probably be my first port of call - especially those addresses linked to land (eg farms) which might imply out apiaries in secluded locations.

 

[nelletap]

Our local BKA seems to have a mobile phone dedicated to swarm collection and passed to whover is on duty. Surely this sort of procedure reduces the need for a specific address and could be emulated. The address is less crucial because if a swarm is spotted the speediest contact is by phone; people would just need to know an approximate area covered by that phone holder.
T

 

[TOBY-3652]

Google earth mignt have something to do with hive thefts but its just about everything getting stolen around me just this last week one 5 tonne roller and 2 arctic bale trailers i didnt hear about things as big as that getting stolen years ago

 

[BKF Admin]

Metal prices ?

 

[Hombre]

Metal prices ?

Perhaps we should actually be grateful for those jars of imported honey at knock down prices on the supermarket shelves?

 

[steve1958]

I wonder how they manage their Hive security abroad.
I know most countries, unlike the UK, people are allowed guns.
But that would mean the 'Baddies' as well as the Goodies using them.

 

[roche]

I wonder how they manage their Hive security abroad.
I know most countries, unlike the UK, people are allowed guns.
But that would mean the 'Baddies' as well as the Goodies using them.

NZ doesn't seem to worry too much - this apiary is next to a main road. Thats the road fence in the foreground (nicely located for some manuka too...) This guy has at least two apiaries about this size within 5 miles of each other.

 

[tberni]

Based on what I've read I would guess that there must be someone buying large numbers of bee hives for themselves off these thieves. I think anyone who has increased their hives by large numbers recently within a short space of time are worth talking to - and many bee inspectors should have a good idea about this. Based on this, following the contacts via receipts of hive sellers should be a starting point. Just my guess but I'm very sorry for your losses.

 

[Mike a]

Anyone caught and or convicted of stealing hives should be named and shamed imho.

 

[steve1958]

Anyone caught and or convicted of stealing hives should be named and shamed imho.

Or thrown to the Bees....... naked

 

[steve1958]

NZ doesn't seem to worry too much - this apiary is next to a main road. Thats the road fence in the foreground (nicely located for some manuka too...) This guy has at least two apiaries about this size within 5 miles of each other.

That looks a trap.
I bet the main part of the field is extremely boggy and anyone attempting to cross it would end up sinking.
Now theres a thought. Quicksand

 

[Bates]

Here in Australia you often see hives very visable and close to roads and the issue with stealing still exists, the difference is it is on such a large scale they just drive in with a truck (lorry) and bobcat or loader and pick up the whole bloody lot.

I was speaking to my Argentianian colleague who also said it was a serious problem at one point and also was nearly sold a stolen load of bees but quickly identified they werent legit as the government serial number did not match the seller.