A ROGUE beekeeper accused of stealing hundreds of beehives across Malaga province over an eight-year period has finally been arrested.
The Guardia Civil has detained the suspect for the theft of 337 beehives — 145 containing live bee colonies and another 192 empty hives — between 2017 and 2025.
Police say the suspect targeted beekeepers across Malaga before hiding the stolen hives in apiaries in Alhaurin de la Torre and Casarabonela.
Officers from the Guardia Civil’s Roca Team in Coin arrested the man following an investigation dubbed Operation Piquera 2025.
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They linked him to 24 alleged offences against property and the socio-economic order.
The breakthrough came in June 2025 after a beekeeper from Alhaurin de la Torre reported the theft of seven hives.
Crucially, the victim had fitted the hives with a GPS tracking device, allowing investigators to trace them to a rural property.
When officers inspected the site, they discovered far more than the missing hives.
According to the Guardia Civil, the suspect amassed hundreds of stolen beehives, hidden among his legally registered stock of 70.
Police say he used a sophisticated method to disguise the stolen property and avoid detection during health and agricultural inspections.
The suspect covered the original markings before adding his own identification number, using putty or special coatings.
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The investigation has also resolved 24 separate complaints filed by 19 victims over the past eight years, after years of unexplained hive disappearances.
Police returned all the beehives to their rightful owners.
Beehive theft has become an increasing concern in parts of rural Spain due to the high value of colonies and honey production.
A single active hive is often worth several hundred euros.
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