Police are searching Napier for a sticky-fingered thief after 80 beehive boxes were stolen from a local business.
Police are asking for public assistance for help in the search.
The boxes were taken from Edmundson St in Onekawa on Wednesday about 3.30pm.
Police said a white-wash ute arrived at Beagles Bees on Wednesday, and loaded up the 82 bee boxes, each containing a number of frames but no honey or bees, on to the ute and covered the tray with a tarpaulin.
The ute, possibly a Ford Courier or Mazda, had taped-over number plates.