Honey thieves steal hive from community garden
To view our videos, you need to
enable JavaScript. Learn how.
install Adobe Flash 9 or above. Install now.
Then come back here and refresh the page.
With several bee attacks in the Austin area this summer, the sight of thousands of bees flying everywhere would cause the average person stress.
However, if you were a pro, Round Rock Honey owner Conrad Bouffard says you could easily steal a hive.
"If you're a bee keeper, if you know what you're doing, it's not that hard," he said.
Monday night the top section of a bee hive, called a super, was stolen from the First Methodist Church Community Garden in Georgetown.
It came from one of three hives Round Rock Honey donated last April.
One super weighs 50 to 60 pounds, and the honey inside of it and can be worth up to $600.
Bouffard filed a police report Tuesday morning. Georgetown Police say they've never seen this before. Lt. Todd Terbush with GPD wouldn't speak on camera while the investigation is ongoing, but said at the very least, the thief could face a $2,000 fine and could even get jail time.
Dean Hamilton has hives in his backyard and is a member of the Williamson County Bee Club.
"I'm just always amazed that people are willing to go to jail or prison for 50 or 100 pounds of honey, it's just not worth the risk," Hamilton said. "I believe it was someone outside of this community very definitely."
Without security camera footage, Georgetown officials say it will be difficult to track the thief.
If you have any information about the theft, you can join the discussion on Round Rock Honey's Facebook page.