A PENSIONER returned home from heart surgery to find that thieves had stolen his beehives.

Brian Moore, 75, of Stanford Rivers in Ongar, has been tending bees for 40 years. But while he was in hospital between Saturday, March 26 and Wednesday, March 30 receiving treatment thieves stole three of his hand made made, dark wooden hives.

The thieves came at night, sealed the entrance to the hives and stole them from the farmland where they awere being kept.

It is believed that the thieves were interrupted because they left a number of other hives sealed, which have since been moved elsewhere.

Mr Moore said: “This has been very stressful. I am at home recovering and could have done without all this thieving. He said that a hive of bees could be sold for about £200 and the thieves would only receive about £600 in total.

“They probably knew what they were doing. The bees are in the hive at night and don't fly. Despite the fact that they taped the entrance the bees would have been crawling all over them so they ay have needed some protective clothing.”

Police estimate that the hives were stolen between midnight on Saturday, March 26, and 7am on Wednesday, March 30.

Investigating officer PC Martin Carroll said: "This is a despicable crime and whoever is responsible has taken the enjoyment of a retired owner who has tended these bees for the past 40 years, not only as a hobby but also helping the environment.

The hives are hand built and are unique.” Anyone with any information is asked to contact PC Carroll on 0300 333 4444 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.