A brazen theft that breaks Mr. Roman's heart. Thieves stole 24 hives from the apiary, with about one and a half million bees inside. The police are certain that this was not a random theft.
When the linden trees in the area are in bloom, the bees are working with all their might. The thieves must have been busy too. Mr. Roman is most concerned about the fate of his charges now. He has been keeping bees for decades, and he built the hives himself.
– I had 24 colonies stolen, complete with hives. They were the hives shown here on the side, with bodies. 24 units were stolen, there were about one and a half million bees there – says Roman Gajda, the owner of the apiary.
An almost deserted apiary breaks a beekeeper's heart. It's like losing someone close. – Well, I've had a constant for a few years now, about 70 bee families – says Mr. Roman.
Material losses amount to about 20 thousand zlotys.
– They were not moved, but probably taken away. We will definitely investigate this thread as well, so if there is a person who could have some information on this matter, it will certainly be useful in the ongoing proceedings – informs Commissioner Grzegorz Jaroszewicz, spokesman for the Municipal Police Headquarters in Gorzów Wielkopolski.
The thieves must have known their craft. They knew how to approach the insects. This was no random theft.
– It was either theft on commission or someone wanted to quickly set up an apiary for themselves – says Hubert Haliczanowski, president of the beekeepers' association in Lubiszyn.
Material losses amount to about 20 thousand złoty. Above all, however, the immediate area lost tireless pollinators, invaluable to the environment.
A series of similar thefts in the country
After a series of similar thefts in the country, many apiaries are resorting to modern methods of deterrence. The bees cannot defend themselves.
– We inform that the apiary is monitored or has some GPS locators. An amateur could not have done this, so someone who is greedy for money or honey – says Wojciech Zajkowski, owner of the Bartnik Sokólski apiary.
– I would say it is very easy to set up an apiary, using various types of subsidies and then you have it in a simple, legal way, and starting anew, often practically full-time, this beekeeping activity. Theft is not a way to achieve the goal – comments Piotr Mrówka, president of the Association of Professional Beekeepers in Poznań.
A reward has been offered to help locate the thieves and recover the hives.
Main image source: TVN24