Thief Steals About 500,000 Bees From B.C. Property
Theft of 500,00 bees in British Columbia
In early July, a thief stole about 500,000 bees in Abbotsford, British Columbia.
The exact date is unknown. Since the hives were away from the roadside, it is suspected that the person who stole the bees knew exactly where the hives were located and was probably knowledgeable about beekeeping said John Gibeau, president of Surrey’s Honeybee Centre and a lifelong beekeeper.
“It’s not something a layperson could do. You would have to be a bee keeper. A semi-experienced bee keeper,” he said.
Police are hoping someone may have spotted the thief, as a truck would have been used to transport the bees.
Every year, bees are stolen in British Columbia, but the numbers are small.
It is possible that the thief may have rented bees to farmers to help them pollinate their crops.
“Beekeeping has been tough for the last 10, 15 years. We have a rural mite problem; we are attacked with pesticides; the changing weather conditions. It’s a difficult job. It’s difficult to make money at it,” he said.
Anyone with information about the theft is being asked to contact the Abbotsford Police Department at 604-859-5225 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477
