No more hive thefts

[pargyle]

Which is more of a problem in your region -- hive theft or hive vandalism? If hive theft, are those mostly opportunistic thieves (i.e. they just happen to walk by and saw a theft opportunity) or do thieves actually set out and prepare specifically to steal hives?

There's a few threads on here about hive thefts in the UK. It's particularly bad early in the season in the South of England. It appears to be well planned and not opportunistic ... some of the hives stolen have been well off the beaten track and not visible from any public access. Even within the thefts there has been some selection about what has been taken.

Clearly people with some working knowledge of beekeeping and in some cases local knowledge ... all very worrying !

 

[ugcheleuce]

It appears to be well planned and not opportunistic ... some of the hives stolen have been well off the beaten track and not visible from any public access. Even within the thefts there has been some selection about what has been taken.

So, what are the usual solutions offered to this problem?

Would it help if hive bodies can be chipped with RFIDs, registered on a regional online database, to assist police when investigating possible recoveries? Adding an RFID to a hive body should be fairly simple, and attempting to remove it would break or damage the hive body. RFIDs won't prevent theft but it will help police (and owners of lost/found hives). For people who can't afford the scanners, any vet or pet store should be able to scan it, often for free.

Do beekeepers with remote apiaries make use of security cameras at all? These days you can get battery operated motion-detection cameras that send pictures via the cellular network, for a reasonable price. Again, this won't prevent theft but it will help the police (and you, if you recognise the thief and his pickup truck on the photos).

Do you have any idea what the OP's mysterious system might look like?

Samuel

 

[pargyle]

So, what are the usual solutions offered to this problem?

Would it help if hive bodies can be chipped with RFIDs, registered on a regional online database, to assist police when investigating possible recoveries? Adding an RFID to a hive body should be fairly simple, and attempting to remove it would break or damage the hive body. RFIDs won't prevent theft but it will help police (and owners of lost/found hives). For people who can't afford the scanners, any vet or pet store should be able to scan it, often for free.

Do beekeepers with remote apiaries make use of security cameras at all? These days you can get battery operated motion-detection cameras that send pictures via the cellular network, for a reasonable price. Again, this won't prevent theft but it will help the police (and you, if you recognise the thief and his pickup truck on the photos).

Do you have any idea what the OP's mysterious system might look like?

Samuel

General consensus in the past has been that prevention is best .. ground anchors, set in concrete under the hives and chains/padlocks etc. They can, at best, only be a deterrent and send the thief off elsewhere .. even then, the determined thief who has already surveyed this target can come armed with bolt croppers etc.

Very few bee thieves have been caught .. again, consensus is that the equipment, if marked, is burnt and one bee colony looks very much like another once it's out of the hive.

Police, on the whole, have been less than successful in either catching thieves or preventing theft.

Lots of stuff on here about hive monitors, CCTV, land mines, etc. etc. but I've no idea what NFC has in mind ...

 

[madasafish]

Exploding indelible dye canisters are the dog's danglies...as they can be placed anywhere and ensure the perpetrator(s) will be easily recognised - and will pay the costs of new protective equipment..

 

[Nige.Coll]

i have it sussed
concrete crown boards .
that will stop anyone stealing the frames or the hive..
ok downside you will need a forklift to do inspections..



lol sry i was only being silly

 

[pargyle]

Exploding indelible dye canisters are the dog's danglies...as they can be placed anywhere and ensure the perpetrator(s) will be easily recognised - and will pay the costs of new protective equipment..

Perhaps you have hit on NFC's idea ... best patent the Purple People Bee Blaster before he gets round to it ...

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Exploding indelible dye canisters

Pack in a few nails and ball bearings as well and you'll only have to search the local a&e or undertakers for the culprit.
Crime prevention at its best.

 

[madasafish]

Pack in a few nails and ball bearings as well and you'll only have to search the local a&e or undertakers for the culprit.
Crime prevention at its best.

No: destroys the hives as well...

No one worries about pink hives..

 

[Luminos]

No: destroys the hives as well...

No one worries about pink hives..

Pink, wow

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

No: destroys the hives as well...

No one worries about pink hives..

Directional blast my boy , simple to do - when you know how

 

[ichbinpaul]

Exploding indelible dye canisters are the dog's danglies...as they can be placed anywhere and ensure the perpetrator(s) will be easily recognised - and will pay the costs of new protective equipment..

Excellent! how about mixing in bee wasp and hornet attack pheremones!!! OR just use the rince water from the worst hospital in the land MRSA!?

 

[Nige.Coll]

glue razor blades in strategic places on the hive. if they do steal it the police will have dna to work with if nothing else.

you would just have to remember they were there or lose your own fingers.

 

[norfolknchance]

ha ha

glue razor blades in strategic places on the hive. if they do steal it the police will have dna to work with if nothing else.

you would just have to remember they were there or lose your own fingers.

God we got comedians in the house im laughing so hard I need stitches, so funny

 

[Norton]

We put up a gate to prevent access to one of our apiaries. Guess what? The gate and posts were stolen a month later.

 

[oliver90owner]

I often say I don't take offence, I just take the gate - it's easier. But nicking the posts as well... now that is even more galling.

RAB

 

[REDWOOD]

I often say I don't take offence, I just take the gate - it's easier. But nicking the posts as well... now that is even more galling.

RAB

 

[Pete D]

I am currently working on an invention that will make theft of hives a thing of the past, hopefully it will be ready just after Christmas

How is this progressing, more thefts this week as reported yesterday.
I know Christmas isnt far away but if there is any chance you can bring forward the unveiling day it may help ease our concerns over thefts.

Thanks

 

[Tabby15]

Got this message from my association today:

Have heard from friend in Bournemouth that 4 complete hives were taken from the Bournemouth & District Club's apiary at Dudsbury on Monday night - that's the site near Hurn/Parley Cross. It seems it was well planned, the hives were taken between 8pm and 9 pm. Somebody was there till about 8pm, landowner found a hive on the driveway at about 9pm. Strips of foam found, so well prepared to block entrances and take them away quickly.

 

[Russel]

Assuming they can read?

 

[REDWOOD]

I could think of a sign that they don't have to read