Beekeepers in Northland believe they have identified the thieves who have been stealing hives and relocating them.
They have found more than 100 hives on remote properties in the hills above Matapouri and Ngunguru northeast of Whangarei.
The Whangarei Beekeepers Club says its members became suspicious when a young man approached the club offering hives for sale.
Club members say the police were initially unable to help so club officials turned detective and identified more than 140 stolen hives.
Many were returned to their rightful owners.
The club believes it knows who is responsible for the thefts and confronted one man on a Matapouri property trying to move hives.
The beekeepers have taken their evidence to police and laid a complaint.
