Hives stolen, Llangollen area

[Anduril]

So how do you find hives? Use an airtag scanner!

 

[Sutty]

So how do you find hives? Use an airtag scanner!

So many false positives, more likely to find keys, dogs, cats, handbags, purses, wallets, cars, bikes, etc etc

 

[Gilberdyke John]

There are ANPR cameras on most A roads.

There are thousands of B, C and unclassified roads in rural areas. Locals can travel fór miles without going near an A road or motorway.

 

[Anduril]

So many false positives, more likely to find keys, dogs, cats, handbags, purses, wallets, cars, bikes, etc etc

Follow the vehicle with beekeeping stickers all over it.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

There are thousands of B, C and unclassified roads in rural areas

I'm lucky to hit half a mile of 'A' road once a week - and only if I decide to get some fresh baked bread for the nearest bakery four miles away

 

[Erichalfbee]

There are thousands of B, C and unclassified roads in rural areas. Locals can travel fór miles without going near an A road or motorway.

Tell me. It takes me an hour to get the 28 miles to Carmarthen with no traffic. Add half as much again with tractors and roadwork lights

 

[castanea]

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

Why almost naked?

 

[jeff33]

Why almost naked?

Never know, could be children or sensitive souls on the square, you don't want to offend them

 

[JamezF]

I'm lucky to hit half a mile of 'A' road once a week - and only if I decide to get some fresh baked bread for the nearest bakery four miles away

It's about four miles to our nearest 'A' road, but you're quite likely to meet a stock truck or tractor towing something on the single track roads getting there. If you're not keen to play chicken with farm machinery then it's probably about ten miles, though one of the roads you'd then take used to be the A361 until they moved it so people could get to the holiday horrors of Bude and Barnstaple more quickly.

James

 

[Blunt Spike]

There are thousands of B, C and unclassified roads in rural areas. Locals can travel fór miles without going near an A road or motorway.

If you read my comments, at no point do I say it will stop crime or even be effective. I point out that the tags offer the greatest chance of catching someone. I also suggested that the thieves are likely from outside the area. Thieves want to make a quick escape and use A roads. Thanks though at least you're trying.

 

[Gilberdyke John]

I'm lucky to hit half a mile of 'A' road once a week - and only if I decide to get some fresh baked bread for the nearest bakery four miles away

I saw this recently.
"You don't realize how many back roads/streets there are until you have a lift with someone who has been disqualified from driving"

 

[Gilberdyke John]

If you read my comments, at no point do I say it will stop crime or even be effective. I point out that the tags offer the greatest chance of catching someone. I also suggested that the thieves are likely from outside the area. Thieves want to make a quick escape and use A roads. Thanks though at least you're trying.

My family sometimes say I'm very trying

 

[Blunt Spike]

My family sometimes say I'm very trying

Mate, for clarity. I won't be branding or inserting tags. Hive theft is extremely rare. We are a tight knit community hear and about most cases and panic thinking its a huge problem. Where you site your out apiary is still the best option in my opinion.
If others want to take extra precautions fair play to them.

Worryingly, a rural cop I know, told me that thieves are starting to locate property to steal by using drones. I had a microlight circling above me at about 100 feet high at one apiary a few weeks ago but I doubt they are a threat

 

[Macbear]

Blunt Spike makes a sound point about siting an apiary, presumably discreetly. Not a huge problem for me with two hives, but for those who have large numbers of hives, and especially at this time of year on moorlands to enable heather honey harvests this may be less easy. I also wonder do canny thieves also locate beekeepers by noting "honey for sale" signs or following up entries into swarm collection registers? A starting point, perhaps. I'm also not happy that my landlord [a parish council] has included discussions about my keeping bees in their Minutes - an open public record.
I seems that anyone who abuses their knowledge of beekeeping at the cost of other members of the beekeeping community lacks that sort of respect for fellow creatures, and, presumably is pretty disrespectful to bees.

 

[GaryH]

Smart water:
spray the hives. invisible to the naked human eye. But leaves a mark on the thieves person which can be seen under ultraviolet lights can’t be washed off for weeks
Each paint has a ‘forensic DNA’ which can be traced back to the item which was thieved.

Deterrent Signs at the Apiary warning thieves smart water employed.

Not sure if bees will be confused by the UV colours ????

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Smart water:
spray the hives. invisible to the naked human eye. But leaves a mark on the thieves person which can be seen under ultraviolet lights can’t be washed off for weeks
Each paint has a ‘forensic DNA’ which can be traced back to the item which was thieved.

will it survive a bonfire of hives and frames?

Deterrent Signs at the Apiary warning thieves smart water employed.

and remind them to ensure they get the bonfire going ASAP

 

[pargyle]

Oh my ... so many complicated and expensive ways to protect or track hives that could be stolen. It's a small problem - yes, there are annual thefts of hives from out apiaries. But ...these are targetted thefts from locations that make theft easy, very isolated, good access for a vehicle, visibility from public roads or public areas.. Every thief is looking for the EASY OPTION - just make it very difficult for them to see the hives and if they are seen make it difficult to remove them. Insist on apiary security - a padlocked gate with a proper quality padlock won't stop a well equipped thief but it will deter them. If it's a permanent out apiary invest in security fencing if you are at all worried about colony theft - a colony loss is at least £200 ... you can put up a fair amount of fencing and a strong gate for £200.

Deter the thieves ... forget trying to recover stolen hives - once they are gone, it's a lost cause - very rarely are hive thieves caught and bees are never recovered.

 

[Anduril]

https://beekeepingforum.co.uk/threads/no-more-hive-thefts.26001/10 years later and zilch

 

[GaryH]

will it survive a bonfire of hives and frames?

and remind them to ensure they get the bonfire going ASAP

It stays on the perpetrator’s person.

 

[rdartington]

I,ve never had a problem …but if I felt threatened … what about using heavy stands to take two cols plus spare boxes between …/ then screwing floor boards to the stand.. thief has to bring own floor boards ..
too easy? Screw hive body onto screwed down floor board, just 4 screws difficult to see if you dont know where they are, especially after dark.
could that deter? And send thief to some other easier apiary?