Stunned David Fryer turned up at his apiary to discover it had all been taken including pounds of honey the bees had created.

The 66-year-old insists only someone with specialist knowledge could have carried out the raid which police are investigating. They would also have to have used at least a flat bed sized van to transport the hives.

The retired upholsterer said: "Whoever was responsible knew exactly what they were doing as you need to have specialist knowledge to tackle a bee hive.

"It had to be carried out at night and well planned, otherwise they would have been stung to bits and it must have involved more than one person due to the weight of the hives - especially when they are laden with honey.

"Beekeeping is a very popular pastime as bees are good for ecology.
"There is an honour amongst beekeepers but there must be an unscrupulous one or two who have gone to great lengths to make themselves some money."

Mr Fryer – who only took over his apiary beside the A1 road at Penmanshiel, near Grantshouse, Berwickshire, 18 months ago – said the raiders struck sometime during the past fortnight and estimates the value being in the region of £4,000 as the bees have produced between 300-500lbs of honey.

He said: "The hives are in a nice spot close to the railway line so the nearby vegetation is not affected by farm pesticides so is popular with bees.

"They have been in the same spot for the past 20 years and I just leave them to get on with it but turned up the other day to make sure everything was okay for the winter to find they were all gone.

"I am absolutely devastated by this. I had deliberately not been taking any honey out because I wanted to build up the colonies of bees but that has all gone too.

"I have been wiped out."

Despite the close proximity to the A1 and fast links south Mr Fryer suspects the raiders have Scottish links. However, the hives will have to be taken more than three miles away from the Penmanshiel site to prevent the bees from returning there.

He explained that nine of the hives taken were of the 'Smith' design which are predominant north of the border.

The other hive stolen was of an antique 'Glen' type.

He said: "If nine of the Smith hives turned up at an apiary in England that might arouse suspicions because they are unusual down there.

"But they could be anywhere in the country really. Two of the hives had 60,000 bees each in them and were fully laden.

"A queen bee can fetch as much as £30 so there is a lot of value in this trade.

"The apiary was only passed to me 18 months ago and the railway staff keep a close eye on it for me. They even call an opening to the railway line at Penmanshiel as the bee gate."

Constable Scott Dishington of Lothian and Borders Police said an investigation had been launched into the theft.

He said:"We are asking for anyone who noticed any suspicious activity in the Penmanshiel area during the past fortnight to come forward."

Grantshouse Community Council secretary Kim Bannerman has also contacted every community council in the Borders asking for help in finding and returning 10 bee hives.

"If anyone has heard anything at all I ask that they can contact their local police station or berwickshire cbo's at berwickshirecbo's@lbp.pnn.police.uk," said Ms Bannerman.