Stolen Bees - Help!

[eddiespangle]

I moved to Swindon from Winchester last summer and over the winter I've had a few colonies stolen from the apiary I'm sharing. At this rate I'll be a non beekeeper before the spring - does anyone know of a landowner on the Oxford side of Swindon who'd be happy to have ages hives on his land?

I've done the usual stuff in reporting the theft to the local association and the police but its difficult to see how that will deter anyone. I have to assume that the criminals know where the site is they'll continue to take the bees.

Any help would be gratefully received.

Eddie

 

[Cuddly Bear]

Hi Eddie
Try contacting the vale and downland beekeeping association. They cover the area of South Oxfordshire that borders Swindon. They might know somewhere.
Sounds like you need to move them Asap.
Good luck


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[Dusty Rhodes]

So sorry to hear you've had hives nicked.

There are some nasty people around.

Hope you find somewhere good soon.

Dusty

 

[Luminos]

Just awful.
I hope you get somewhere safer for them very soon

 

[pargyle]

I moved to Swindon from Winchester last summer and over the winter I've had a few colonies stolen from the apiary I'm sharing. At this rate I'll be a non beekeeper before the spring - does anyone know of a landowner on the Oxford side of Swindon who'd be happy to have ages hives on his land?

I've done the usual stuff in reporting the theft to the local association and the police but its difficult to see how that will deter anyone. I have to assume that the criminals know where the site is they'll continue to take the bees.

Any help would be gratefully received.

Eddie

Did you have any security in place ? Even the most basic of ground anchors and a chain and padlock would make life difficult for potential thieves. A hefty stake (just one of those steel stakes with a curly tail) hammered deep in the ground under the hive padlocked to a chain passed through a staple on the roof would make it almost impossible to steal the hive without disturbuing the bees. May be a bit like shutting the door after the horse has bolted but could save you losing the rest before you find another apiary. Cost - probably less than a tenner.

 

[eddiespangle]

Yes, that sounds like a good idea. I've just invested in a branding iron to mark all of my hardware too.

 

[Luminos]

Yes, that sounds like a good idea. I've just invested in a branding iron to mark all of my hardware too.

Useful for if you catch the thieves, too

 

[pargyle]

Yes, that sounds like a good idea. I've just invested in a branding iron to mark all of my hardware too.

Anything that stops the robbing bssstds from moving it on easier must help. With the value of a Nuc probably going to be in the order of £240/£260 this coming spring there could be a lot more hives under threat in the coming months.

 

[oliver90owner]

Seems like the non over-wintering of many colonies will mean quite a few light fingered beeks replacing lost colonies or the other usual scum taking advantage to fill the market gap with cheaply acquired colonies.

 

[eddiespangle]

The long arm...

Has anyone ever been prosecuted for stealing bees/hives/colonies?

 

[merlin65]

How about getting one of the wildlife video cameras?, they are available for night time use and work off a motion sensor, the battery last for a month, they can be mounted to a tree, not too expensive imo, compred to your bees and hives, you can then pass on the tape to the police.

 

[pargyle]

Seems like the non over-wintering of many colonies will mean quite a few light fingered beeks replacing lost colonies or the other usual scum taking advantage to fill the market gap with cheaply acquired colonies.

It's everywhere ... 17 sheds broken into on our local allotment site last week - all on the same night. Mainly petrol engined tools taken. Easy sell on and good residual value. Bees even better ...

 

[dpearce4]

especially when cold easy to move.

 

[mbc]

The people with the most ear to the ground knowledge and probability of bumping into odd hives again are the bee inspectors.

 

[beesknee]

Did you have any security in place ? Even the most basic of ground anchors and a chain and padlock would make life difficult for potential thieves. A hefty stake (just one of those steel stakes with a curly tail) hammered deep in the ground under the hive padlocked to a chain passed through a staple on the roof would make it almost impossible to steal the hive without disturbuing the bees. May be a bit like shutting the door after the horse has bolted but could save you losing the rest before you find another apiary. Cost - probably less than a tenner.

Not worth a tenner a pair of bolt croppers! job done

 

[Skyhook]

Has anyone ever been prosecuted for stealing bees/hives/colonies?

Oh yes. I believe some of them have even been told not to do it again.

.

 

[oliver90owner]

How about getting one of the wildlife video cameras?,

The 'regulars' are wise to those. Anything that uses a 'photo flood' of infra red is readily visible to a suitable viewer, and some to the naked eye. Easy to locate and steal that, too, so only of use for catching amateur thieves.

Need a photo-multiplier type which does not need an infra red 'photo flood' - and they tend to be a tad more expensive. Also it is actually illegal to record covertly, I believe! (you have to have it clearly posted that security cameras may be/are in operation).

 

[pargyle]

Not worth a tenner a pair of bolt croppers! job done

Big chain, stainless steel hasp from marine chandlers, big padlock - OK, it's only a deterrent but with any luck the thief won't be equipped for heavy duty theft and will go and nick someone else's hives that are not chained down.

 

[Hombre]

Also it is actually illegal to record covertly, I believe! (you have to have it clearly posted that security cameras may be/are in operation).

I don't see David Attenborough putting up any signs. Sure any bad lads caught on camera will only be incidental . . . They are wildlife cameras after all, watching for foxes, badgers and bogeymen.

 

[oliver90owner]

They are wildlife cameras after all, watching for foxes, badgers and bogeymen

But would this 'evidence' be admissible in court? Probably not, and the recorder could be at risk of litigation by the bad boys. Sometimes better to get the evidence and deal with it in other ways than via plod.