The Fresno County Sheriff’s Office is searching for nearly 100 beehives stolen from a field near Interstate 5 at the end of January.

Thieves escaped with 96 hives worth about $34,000 from the field between 5:30 p.m. Jan. 28 and 4 p.m. Jan. 29. Each stolen hive was worth about $350, according to sheriff’s office spokesman Tony Botti, who said he expects the stolen boxes to be rented to another farmer.

The beehives are multi-colored and branded with the letters “MEB,” so they should be easy to recognize, the sheriff’s office said in a release.

“Beekeepers are often from another part of the state or another part of the U.S.,” Mr. Botti told The Epoch Times. “They make deals over the phone and computer.”

An unassuming farmer could rent the beehives without knowing they were stolen, he added.

“They don’t get into the nitty gritty of who the actual hives belong to because it is not a concern to them,” he said.

Although the theft has gained some media attention, the sheriff’s office says beehive thefts are not uncommon. Agricultural crime occurs in Fresno throughout the year, prompting the sheriff’s department to create a dedicated Ag Task Force to respond to other crimes at agricultural sites, such as stolen copper or fuel, according to Mr. Botti.

The hives are labeled with the letters “MEB,” so they should be easy to recognize, the sheriff’s office said. (Courtesy of Fresno County Sheriff's Department)

Most beehive thefts happen at night, when bees are dormant, or when it’s raining, Mr. Botti added.

“Hives are typically moved on flatbed trucks [or] trailers,” Mr. Botti said.

People should consider it suspicious if someone is placing them onto a truck in a field, he said, rather than offloading the hives during the pollination season, which is in the spring.

Beekeepers can register their hives with the Fresno County Sheriff’s Office to protect themselves, according to Mr. Botti. Each beehive will be recorded into the National Crime Information Center’s directory after being assigned a unique number.

The database helps law enforcement determine the rightful owner. Farm equipment can also be registered in the same way, free of charge.

Owners can also put a tracking device in their hives, Mr. Botti said.

The sheriff’s office also suggested not placing beehives close to the roadway where they can be seen. County law allows law enforcement to stop anyone moving bees as a way to determine whether their work is legitimate. Owners must carry proof of ownership and other documentation, the sheriff’s office reported.