Reward for information in honey bee arson up to $5,000
Reward for information in honey bee arson up to $5,000
Rob Burchianti | Herald-Standard
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After nearly two months with no information, the Bedillion family is upping the cash reward for any tips on a suspected arson at their Industry, Beaver County bee yard.
Sara and Mark Bedillion are offering $2,500 for information that leads to the arrest and prosecution of any suspects, up from $1,000. That reward is being matched by the Crime Solvers of Beaver County, a nonprofit organization, for a total of $5,000.
Mark Bedillion discovered that about 50 beehives had been burned when he visited the property with his daughter on Feb. 26. Police believe the fire occurred on Dec. 27, 2025. The bee yard is one of more than 25 that Bedillion Honey Farm owns across Southwestern Pennsylvania. The family runs a retail shop in Hickory.
“We really haven’t learned anything,” Mark Bedillion said of the ongoing investigation, which is being handled by the Beaver Borough Police Department. “I really want to find out who it was.”
Bedillion estimates that each beehive, or colony, was home to 15,000 to 20,000 bees and about 30 pounds of honey, meaning at least 1,500 pounds of honey and potentially upwards of one million bees were lost.
He estimates the fire cost his family’s business tens of thousands of dollars. They have begun rebuilding, but Bedillion is reluctant to put any beehives back on the property.
“I would like to use the bee yard again because it was a good location. I’m hesitant to put them back there until we find out who the rascal was,” Bedillion said.
Kristen Doerschner is the president of the Crime Solvers of Beaver County. She described the suspected arson as a “senseless crime,” and one her organization wanted to help shed light on.
“Honey bees are already facing a lot of dangers to their habitats, and they’re living creatures that are just minding their business. It makes no sense that someone would do this. It was really just senseless destruction that killed these creatures, and obviously caused financial hardship to the hive owners,” Doerschner said.
Doerschner explained that anyone who provides tips would be able to remain anonymous. Tipsters can contact Beaver police or the Crime Solvers tip line.
If that tip were to lead to the prosecution of the arsonist, the Crime Solvers would give the reward money to police, who would then provide it to the tipster.
“We don’t know who it is. We let the police handle that,” Doerschner said.
Dr. Sarah Bashore, a professor of biology, fisheries and wildlife biology at Pennsylvania Western University, is a friend of the Bedillion family, and credited them for the work they do as beekeepers. She said she could not believe it when she heard about the damage.
“It’s not only a loss to a family that’s contributing to our economy; those are organisms, living things. There is no need to attack them like that,” Bashore said.
Bedillion hopes the increased reward money will lead to a breakthrough in the case.
“We’re really hoping that somebody comes forward,” Bedillion said. “Somebody knows something. I guarantee that somebody knows something.”
Anyone with information is asked to call Beaver police at 724-775-0880, or the anonymous Crime Solvers tip line at 724-774-2000.