Hives stolen, Llangollen area

[Curly green finger's]

I'd certainly advise any pictures of your hives being posted on social media have their location data removed 1st.

Or remove them completely

 

[blackcloud]

Darts.

 

[Darryl]

Tied up almost naked in the middle of the square with 4 vile hives tipped in front of him?

Why only "almost"?

 

[Bluetractorman]

Unfortunately a very average and cheap set of bolt cutters will go through about 90% of most chains and padlocks.
Any going about this sort of thing are likely to have something if for no other reason than to deal with the farm gate!

My wife recently got 1 of these for the dog and it’s actually very impressive. Well at least she says it’s for the dog but I’m regularly sweeping my car!
https://tractive.com/en/pd/gps-tracker-dog-xlIt’s £4.50 a month subscription.
You are able to set a safe zone as well on a very detailed sat photo so you’ll only receive pings if dog/hive moves outside that area. You simply draw a line around garden/apiary on the map. This also increases battery life.
Literally as soon as the dog goes outside any safe area your phone pings giving a sat picture of exact location and it’s updated in seconds.
The actual tracker is about 60mm long about 30mm wide…25mm thick. Probably very easy to hide in floor roof or bottom rail of a box.

Probably worth looking at for any that expect to have issues or try on the pet first or of course the other half

There's also now the Apple air tag. One off payment rather than subscription, about £30. Slight question over effectiveness in very rural or remote places. AirTag

 

[Ian123]

There's also now the Apple air tag. One off payment rather than subscription, about £30. Slight question over effectiveness in very rural or remote places. AirTag

Their air tag is not as good as the 1 I posted, not the same features and no safe areas.

 

[Blunt Spike]

Slight question over effectiveness in very rural or remote places. AirTag

The thief will drive them away, as they do they will pass phone masts and the tracker will ping a location. It could be enough to show direction of travel which would show the road they used and a time. Local authorities have lots of cameras about (many dont get noticed) and having approx time and date would allow those cameras to narrow down to a vehicle. If it is rural there's a good chance there could only be one or two vehicles on the road at that time... and you couldn't get 14 hives in a smart car. It gives the best chance of catching them. They may also move them to where there is a phone signal.
The problem is how quickly the cops respond. You could track them yourself and phone the cops (from a safe distance) to say you've found your stolen property and they should come quickly.

 

[Garry R]

Why only "almost"?

Was left with a burglar's face mask on to protect his/her identity. Everything else naked!!!!

 

[Sutty]

The thief will drive them away, as they do they will pass phone masts and the tracker will ping a location. It could be enough to show direction of travel which would show the road they used and a time. Local authorities have lots of cameras about (many dont get noticed) and having approx time and date would allow those cameras to narrow down to a vehicle. If it is rural there's a good chance there could only be one or two vehicles on the road at that time... and you couldn't get 14 hives in a smart car. It gives the best chance of catching them. They may also move them to where there is a phone signal.
The problem is how quickly the cops respond. You could track them yourself and phone the cops (from a safe distance) to say you've found your stolen property and they should come quickly.

Only the police will be able to require access to the cameras, it's a lot of time & manpower - highly unlikely they would commit the resources.
If you can say I have tracked my stolen hives to a particular location they may do something.

 

[Blunt Spike]

Only the police will be able to require access to the cameras, it's a lot of time & manpower - highly unlikely they would commit the resources.
If you can say I have tracked my stolen hives to a particular location they may do something.

Yes you are correct re access and in isolation say 1 or 2 hives it won't be a priority. If we are looking at 5 or 6, then you are looking at a couple of grand plus the loss to revenue. If I didnt like the response, I would make a complaint to the duty inspector. The HMICFRS has recently had a big push at all Chief Constables and the quality of their forces' investigations.

 

[pargyle]

Yes you are correct re access and in isolation say 1 or 2 hives it won't be a priority. If we are looking at 5 or 6, then you are looking at a couple of grand plus the loss to revenue. If I didnt like the response, I would make a complaint to the duty inspector. The HMICFRS has recently had a big push at all Chief Constables and the quality of their forces' investigations.

Most forces have a rural crime team - but they are small in number and there is so much major theft from farms of really valuable equipment and livestock that they are hard pushed to keep pace with the workload. When you tell them the hives were unsecured, not marked, in a field by a main road and accessible through a field gate .... you will probably only get a crime number and sympathy.

 

[Nannysbees]

Daily mail

 

[Blunt Spike]

It has been reported on the BBC too

 

[JamezF]

If you can say I have tracked my stolen hives to a particular location they may do something.

Especially if you tell them you're going straight there to sort it out and you're taking your rifle

(Not that you need to take a rifle, or even own one. They might just get there a bit more quickly...)

James

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Local authorities have lots of cameras about

it may be true in urban areas, but out in the sticks? dream on!

 

[Blunt Spike]

it may be true in urban areas, but out in the sticks? dream on!

There are ANPR cameras on most A roads.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

There are ANPR cameras on most A roads.

for them to be of any use, you need to know the index numbers of the vehicles in question, I can assure you that in this area even ANPR is a rare beast

 

[Blunt Spike]

Im not going to argue about this. People were wondering what they can do to protect themselves. Crime prevention is one step with the branding the boxes and frames. I think we both know it won't work on some occasions, so next best (better but more expensive) step is looking where you can help by taking next step measures to locate your property and maybe catch the thieves.

Farmers lose tractors so beekeepers losing a small box is far easier. Plant machinery comes with inbuilt trackers, the criminals rip them out. If they don't read this forum they may not think to look for trackers hidden in beehives.... how do you start to take one out without getting mullered by p'd off bees at night.

 

[mychale]

The problem with an Apple air tag is that if the thief has an Apple phone it will tell them that they are being tracked as my wife found out when she went off with my tagged car keys.

 

[Sutty]

The problem with an Apple air tag is that if the thief has an Apple phone it will tell them that they are being tracked as my wife found out when she went off with my tagged car keys.

That may not be all bad - possibly leading to the stolen hives being dumped by the side of the road.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

The problem with an Apple air tag

is probably the same reason that most security agencies across the world shun Iphones like a dose of herpes - more holes than a coal riddle