Thousands of dollars' worth of beehives have been recovered by Western Bay of Plenty Police following a number of recent burglaries in the area.

Police executed a number of search warrants in relation to the burglaries yesterday and discovered several hundred beehives at a Waipapa Block Road address in Whakamarama.

The authorities also found several firearms and a "large amount" of ammunition, including a semi-auto shotgun, a 7mm 08 rifle and two semi-automatic .22s.

Police have confirmed around 80 per cent of the beehives had their ID numbers removed, or had been disguised or repainted.

'Currently, beehives are valued around $600-$1,000 each, and to have a large number stolen is a huge loss for the owners,” says Detective Senior Sergeant Greg Turner.

'We are pleased to have been able to locate such a large number of hives, and so far we've been able to identify hives stolen from three burglaries.

'We have noticed an increase in the number of beehive thefts, so we suggest keeping hives in paddocks away from public view, as well as using pressure pads, tracking devices and outdoor surveillance cameras.”

Enquiries are ongoing in relation to the thefts, and police would like to hear from anyone who may have information that could assist them with their investigation.

Anyone who notices any movement of beehives that doesn't appear to be by a beekeeping company is asked to contact the police as soon as possible.

Any information can be provided to: 07 577 4300 or anonymously to Crimestoppers on: 0800 555 111.