Sarnia beekeeper plagued by hive thefts

A Sarnia beekeeper is feeling the sting of a five-year string of hive thefts.

Reg Lumleyharvests honey from hives across Lambton County, but inpast few years his bees have started disappearing boxes and all.

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"It's somebody that really knows what they're doing," he said. "They'll select out the strongest hives and take them. So they know how to inspect a hive and choose the good ones."

A few years ago$5,000 in bees and equipment were stolen in a single night, he added.

I'm getting more serious now. I've had enough of this.- Reg Lumley

Lumley said he installed securitycameras to try and catch the bee burglars in action, but then even the cameras disappeared.

"Wegot a picture of the truck twice. But we didn't get the licence plate number," he explained. "Then they stole our camera on us."

Time to get serious

Police have also tried to catch the sticky-fingeredsuspects, but so far even they've been unsuccessful, according to Lumley.

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"I've got two cameras up in the yards now away up in the trees where they'd have to have an extension ladder to get themand i'm marking all my equipment in a way that only I'll be able to identify it," said Lumley.

The worst part of the thefts is that the funds raisedthough honey sales go to support a charity called Active Christians with a Mission that helpschildren in Haiti, said Lumley.

He hopes if anyone knows who has been stealing his bees they'll contact police.