One of my bee customers told me about his recent bus tours all over Europe & the UK. Him & his wife did 3 tours, I think from memory they were all around 10 day tours.
Because he was keen to get into bees, he looked out for bee hives everywhere the coaches went. He told me he didn’t see one hive. We often see beehives while touring around in Au.
I told him what @Dee said about beekeepers having to hide their hives from view through fear of theft.
Yes on our trip to New Zealand we saw many hives particularly in the North Island, Central and East coast. Poly boxes were the go in many colours.
As an aside we visited a couple of bee keepers selling honey and of the various Manuka honeys tried I found none very palatable, one might be more gentle and say “it is an aquired taste” but to be brutal it should be recognised for its medicinal properties and only used externally.
Sorry Kiwis you are wonderful hosts and I had a fantastic time in your country but your Manuka honey is terrible taste wise. Not to say others may like it. 
Hi Busso, we also called in on a beekeeper over there, that was quite a few years ago. This beekeeper was a one armed beekeeper. I don’t know how I’d go trying to manage my bees with one arm.
The leptospermum honey we got early last year was strong, however the flavor grew on me. Everybody else liked the flavor. It didn’t really show up this year, only the distinctive aroma coming out of my extractor. Not enough to set like jelly in the frames.
The latest of many
Reporting is inaccurate in detail but you get the gist. Sad
What is the general conclusion (if any) about who is doing this? It is happening all around the world. Large numbers of hives sometimes from one site…
There was a movie once where a case of money had a remote tracking device fitted… just a thought. Branded and named ones seem to be going as well.
Edit; it seems like some beekeepers are putting GPS systems in hives to track them. Does anyone know of any reports where anyone has been caught and prosecuted?
In New Zealand now their are Manuka wars in the prime manuka areas- hives stolen, mass hive poisonings, indimidation, violence . Beekeepers have to invest in surveillance and some can’t take it anymore and are getting out. It’s terrible.
It’s what they call ‘the resource curse’ I guess. If you have something really valuable others will try and take it from you by force or however they can.
Amazing to think a single super if manuka could be worth a few thousand dollars?
Here’s an article I read about it all a while back:
-and I read recently too that the leptospermum scoparium seeds originated here in Tasmania …you can sort of blame us Wilfred…
In the uk it’s beekeepers doing it.
The bees are shaken onto new frames or packages made and the rest is thrown away, brood and all so little point in marking anything.
I have a friend who had bees stolen; caught on cctv and thief known. Police not interested so he took care of it himself and he did a bloomin good job of it 
Dee-not great is it. I guess the chances are that the motives and perpetrators are similar around the globe.
One mans opinion and you are entitled to it Busso but Its what you are used to. I grew up on Manuka honey and little else and Australian honey ( including my own ) in my ever so humble opinion, does not even come close to to that magnificent product produced by the Kiwis.
Hi Ken, have you ever tried Tasmanian Manuka honey?
Regrettably no Dan. I think an outlet nearby sells it so will try
Do tell…
Yeh mate that would do it.
I just would not be able to afford to “aquire” the taste. At manuka honey prices I am happy with my Marrie and other Eucalyptus honey. 