Police are searching for thieves who allegedly stole $150,000 worth of beehives from a rural property in the New South Wales northern tablelands. A local apiarist suggests the thieves may well be fellow beekeepers.
The Theft
Eighty beehive boxes containing active colonies were taken from a property on Bruxner Way, located 15 kilometres west of Bonshaw and 100 kilometres north-west of Glen Innes. NSW police believe the alleged theft occurred sometime between Tuesday 31 March and Wednesday 6 May.
The NSW police rural crime prevention team has launched an investigation. The missing boxes are described as predominantly cream-coloured with blue base boards, blue and white lids, and red clear boards.
Beekeeper's Perspective
Mitch McLennan, from The Honey Shed in nearby Tabulam, described the alleged theft as a “devastating” loss for the owner. “It’s terrible, it’s such a big loss,” he said, adding that he suspects the thieves are beekeepers themselves. “The only people that steal bees are beekeepers,” McLennan stated. “No one else goes in and steals any hives of bees … what else are you going to do with them unless you’re a beekeeper? I’d say that it’s some disheartened beekeeper that has decided they’re going to steal someone else’s.”
Impact of Varroa Mite
McLennan noted that hive thefts have “become quite commonplace now” in the industry, driven by the desperation of apiarists losing their livelihoods to the varroa destructor mite. This parasitic mite weakens bees, kills larvae, and spreads deadly viruses. It was first detected in Australia in June 2022 and has since swept through bee populations nationwide. “There’s been some pretty big losses,” McLennan said.
Vulnerability of Hives
Beekeepers often place their hives on public land, such as state forest roadsides, but these locations are particularly vulnerable to tampering and theft. McLennan shared an example: “I’ve got a friend who has 4,000 hives and he said pretty much every time since they’ve had this varroa and everyone’s been losing their bees, every time they put bees on a roadside site, someone comes in and takes bees out of them or messes with them.” To avoid such issues, McLennan keeps his bees on private property, “behind three locked gates and well, well away from where anyone can see.”
Police Appeal
Police are urging anyone with information, or who was in the area with dashcam or mobile phone footage, to contact rural crime investigators at Inverell or Glen Innes police stations, or Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.
