[suttonbeeman]

Well well well what goes around comes around. The guy who went behind my back and "stole" four of my beeyards by paying $1,000 cash (yes thats right) was arrested for stealing bees, bee equipment, honey, and much more and is in the Putnam Co jail under 50,000 bond. He was also selling honey without a approved facility, and many more things yet to be seen. Wonder how all this will come out....to read the article go to
www.palatkadailynews.com or google Ruben Josey.

 

[mothergoosemagic]

"Ruben Josey"

Sounds like a name Faulkner or Kinnan-Rawlins would come up with.

 

[G3farms]

So are you going to get your bees and equipment back??

People like that are just bottom feeders and their time will come, his did!!

G3

 

[suttonbeeman]

he stole my yards not my bees.....if he had stole my bees he probably would be some place other than jail! It is my understanding that the beekeepers have gotten back their bees or at least what was found....evidentually lots of bee equipment/honey equipment besides the bees

 

[scdw43]

That's great, I hope they give him 20 years hard labor.

 

[ga.beeman]

glad they arrested him just hope that the fines will be enough to discourage others not to steal other peoples bees. that is just low down

 

[suttonbeeman]

Last info I got is that several supers of cut comb honey were recovered that were stolen in Georiga. Beekeeper there has identified them as his. Evidentually he was stealing honey, possability blending it with corn syrup (several barrells of food grade syrup were found) and selling at farmers markets(have to wait on test to be sure). He claimed he had 1000 colonies, pollinated almonds in Ca, Cranberries in Wi, numerous vine crops in Fl, put bees on a barge up the apalatchacola river for tupelo and secret spots for galberry and palmetto then to south fl for pepper. IN reality he had way under 100 hives. (Not counting stolen ones). Had a real rackett going!!

 

[BEES4U]

Now you know why I brand my wood bound frames.
I brand one end of my hive bodies with my approved county brand and the other with my name.
Color coding can be used and if you want the hive paint can be micro chipped.
We have sent a few bee rustlers to the California Prison system
Ernie

 

[suncoast]

Ernie,
Do you know where to get the micro chips?

Kevin

 

[magista]

I'm putting up a sign at my apiaries:

Bee Rustlers Shot On Sight!

For real though, people are jerks. Glad they caught this clown.

 

[loggermike]

"We have sent a few bee rustlers to the California Prison system"

And one of em was packing some lead in his (deleted).

 

[concrete-bees]

sun--- the chips are the same ones they use for dogs - about the size of a grain of rice

talk to some local vets -

 

[BigT]

Many years ago when I was younger, my uncle that first got me involved with bees had every hive stolen from one of the locations where he kept them. We went there to check the bees one morning and all that was left were the cinder blocks where the hives had sat. I was probably no older than nine years old and I can still remember the feelings that I felt on that very day. I keep my hives at various produce farms and I can't help but worry about the same situation happening to me one day. I hate a low life theif.
Big T

 

[Countryboy]

How does someone "steal" 4 beeyards for $1000? Did they pay the landowners $250 each to be allowed to put bees in the beeyard?

If that's the case, they didn't steal the yard. The former beekeeper just got outbid. That's known as legal competition in business. (Unless you had a contract giving you exclusive rights to the beeyard.)

 

[BEES4U]

Here's a news source:
http://www.cafresh.org/agalert/AgAlertStory.cfm?ID=28&ck=33E75FF09DD601BBE69F351039152189

To deter thieves, a microchip technology initially developed to identify lost pets is now being used to assist the beekeepers. The microchip technology, developed for pet identification by veterinarian Hannis Stoddard of Norco, has unique identification numbers that cannot be altered. The chip is so small that it can fit easily into a hypodermic needle. Beekeepers are now inserting the same chip technology in the wooden frames of their beehives.
Ernie

 

[peacekeeperapiaries]

google "datadots" also.

 

[suttonbeeman]

countryboy.

He rented the large farm which I had four yards on for $1,000. ( I was giving the old fellow 5 cases of 24 1# jars or 2 gallons per yard double what most rent is plus a little comb honey). BUt CASH looks good! There is a unwritten rule in beekeeping you may not be aware of. YOU DO NOT GO and put bees next door to someone who had had bees there before you. Nor do you go behind another beeks back and take his yards. If you do you might find burned hives or find yourself in a bad physical condition. IT may not be illegal but it is unethical. In this case I hired him to help me for two days, after I sent the bees to Ca to almonds he went to land owner and gave him 1,000 CASH, now I knw why he helped me! (We had some heated conservations which required the local sheriff to mediate) If you go to Florida and do this wo be unto you. This year I saw a beekeeper put about 100 hives just across fence from another beek who had been putting bees there for 30 years....he gave him 36 hours to have themgone or they would be dead! You just do NOT do those things !!!

 

[FindlayBee]

One must be careful what one does or says to another person or person's property. Threats of killing another person's colonies, destroying hives, or threats of physical harm can lead to much more than one expects.

I personally do not take kindly to such thinking. Remember "What comes around goes around". Kill my bees, expect to be in court. No one has the right to threaten, steal, kill, or otherwise to another person's property or person.

I hope people get their stolen items back and get at least some payment for the stolen honey.

 

[oldenglish]

So if I understand you correctly you would be more than willing to break the law just because what somebody did was unethical ? Around here that would get you "three hots & a cot"
Also I would say that unwritten rules fall right in with verbal contracts - not worth the paper they are written on.

Now that said I hope the scumbag gets what he desreves.

 

[123456]

Never be afraid of a barking dog.