Thousands of bees and hundreds of pounds worth of honey have been stolen following an unusual raid on farmland in Norfolk.

Eastern Daily Press: Beekeeper Simon Greenwood with some of his hives he has left after thieves stole hives, with thousands of bees and hundreds of pounds worth of honey. Picture: DENISE BRADLEYBeekeeper Simon Greenwood with some of his hives he has left after thieves stole hives, with thousands of bees and hundreds of pounds worth of honey. Picture: DENISE BRADLEY (Image: Copyright: Archant 2017)

Police were called after raiders got away with five hives thought to contain between 50,000 and 60,000 bees and about £600 worth of honey.

Beekeeper Simon Greenwood, who has sites in Norwich and Aylsham, said the hives were stolen from farmland at Haveringland, eight miles north of Norwich.

He said: 'There was three full size hives and a lot of honey as well.'

The 56-year-old added: 'It's the first time it's happened to me.

Eastern Daily Press: Beekeeper Simon Greenwood's bees, including the queen, marked with a yellow dot, he still has left after thieves stole hives, with thousands of bees and hundreds of pounds worth of honey. Picture: DENISE BRADLEYBeekeeper Simon Greenwood's bees, including the queen, marked with a yellow dot, he still has left after thieves stole hives, with thousands of bees and hundreds of pounds worth of honey. Picture: DENISE BRADLEY (Image: Copyright: Archant 2017)

'The only thing is I do have several hives in Norfolk - they weren't the only ones.

'But it still hurts and hits me hard.

'What actually hits me harder is not so much the hives going and the bees going but I was doing a harvest.

'It's not so much the thefts but keeping my customers happy.

'There was at least 50lbs to 60lbs of honey in weight so I've lost about £600 of honey.

'That has hit me hard. If I say I haven't got any honey they will go somewhere else.'

The thefts were discovered after Mr Greenwood went down there to do a honey harvest.

Stealing the hives, which had been there about four years, could potentially have been risky to anyone who did not know what they were doing.

But it would appear thieves have left few clues.

A police forensics team went to the site after the theft was reported and although some tyre tracks were found together with a drinks can that had been left, no suspects have yet been identified.

A police spokesman confirmed they were called to reports of theft of beehives from Haveringland between August 8 and September 1 this year.

He said: 'All lines of enquiry have been followed with no suspects being identified.

'The crime will now sit on file unless any new information comes to light.'

The spokesman has today appealed for anyone with information about the thefts to contact police on 101 quoting reference number 36/62339/17.

In April an investigation was launched after a hive with a colony of about 2,000 bees was stolen from land near to Beeston Garden Centre and Farm Shop, North Walsham Road, Beeston.