Posted on 01/18/2018 9:03:50 PM PST by BenLurkin
Wild Hill Honey owners Justin and Tori Englehardt went to check on their 50 hives on the morning of Dec. 28 and found them all destroyed, resulting in more than $60,000 in damage to the business.
The police department said Wednesday two boys, ages 12 and 13, have been arrested in connection with the incident, which drew ire from people across the country and garnered national and international media coverage. Because they were charged as juveniles, the suspects cannot be identified under state privacy law.
Despite the crime taking place in a secluded area with no witnesses, police were able to track down the suspects after following a series of leads and tips from the public. Police said they don't anticipate any future arrests in connection with the case.
The two boys have been charged with three felonies, criminal mischief in the first degree, agricultural animal facilities offenses and burglary in the third degree, as well as an aggravated misdemeanor, possession of burglar's tools. The felonies would carry penalties of up to 10 years in prison and fines as much as $10,000. Criminal cases involving minors are typically adjudicated in juvenile court, however.
...
According to the state code, a person found guilty of violating the law can be taken to district court by the offended parties to seek recovery of damages in an amount that is three times actual and consequential damage, and also force the defendant to cover the victim’s court and attorney fees.
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Wild Hill sells jars of pure, raw and creamed varieties of honey and other honey byproducts at Pierce Street Coffee Works, Sioux City Gifts, Palmer’s Olde Tyme Candy Shoppe, trade shows and other outlets around the area.
(Excerpt) Read more at siouxcityjournal.com ...
I guess attacking a ecosystem (the bees and their hives) which not only provide a food source (honey) but are instrumental and irreplaceable in the production of other foods (how long would that list be?) and were already failing in other parts of the country (bee mites)
is not that bad?
had they killed 1/2 million unborn babies, noone woulda batted an eyelash
My 25 cents...
Ironically, I would not be surprised if the 1991 law making vandalizing agricultural concerns a felony did not stem as an outgrowth of PITA activities against various farms, etc.
Anyone who is involved in agricultural business understands the importance of bees in the cycle and the issues that have been facing the bee population...Anyone who likes to eat food should be concerned...
Those 2 boys destroyed FIFTY HIVES HALF A MILLION BEES?!? Basically put the beekeeping business in jeopardy; and I don’t know that much about raising bees, but I suspect that in addition to the cost of replacing the bees, the owners will lose a year of income while they get the hives re-established this year.
IMHO what they did is beyond minor vandalism such as throwing eggs, graffiti, maybe moving a hive, etc. The destruction they caused was not a childish prank.
Glad they caught those boys—clearly they are going down the wrong path, and the good Lord only knows where they would/could end up if they continue this behavior.
There’s rarely sense in any crime. But the business should still be insured for property losses.
Kids do stupid things. Given no direct harm to humans, reform and guidance is an adequate path for now.
I’m disputing the consequences of the destruction. But not a thousand bee hives is worth a pound flesh...
You sound like an obama voter.
I know you did not say this, but this is what I’m reading: “Poor little kiddies, it’s not their fault, they shouldn’t be punished. That mean old insurance company and bad parents, they should pay.”
IMO, the full measure of the law with applicable penalties must be applied to these little thugs.
I agree with most of what you said with the exception of your assertion that bees are not animals. Insects are part of the animal kingdom. What’s more is that these bees were livestock; in the same way that dairy cows are used to produce milk, bees are utilized to pollinate and produce honey as a crop.
Just wow. 50 hives are worth $60K? I don’t think so, unless there is some other, much more expensive equipment involved.
Bears destroy far more hives than vandals do. That said there are some punks that get a thrill out of kicking over a hive and running. A bad thing at any time but due to the cold its a death sentence for the hive.
I don’t get the comments on this thread suggesting torture or worse for the JUVENILE offenders. I like bees. A lot. Bees are not people, nor are they cuddly household pets. And I’d like to think we’re a little better than daesh in how we want to deal with criminals.
How do you knock over 50 hives and not get the carp stung out of you? We’re they wearing beekeeping suits?
I agree. They caused property damage and kille some insects, albeit on a larger scale then most kids perpetrate.
But if the punishment bar was set such that a couple of teenagers should be tortured and/or executed for killing a bunch of insects and breaking some else’s stuff then I venture that a lot of people here at FR would have died painful deaths long before they reached adulthood, myself included.
I think these two kids should be required to make reparations for the damage they did, including possibly working the damage off by performing chores around the bee farm until their debts are paid.
I don’t think he meant, or even wrote, said anything of the sort. He said that advocating their torture or execution for this crime is over the top - and he is right.
It is the “zero tolerance” folks who demand extravagant punishment for every offense who sound like Obama voters to me.
It isn’t about the bees. It is about the business and life they took away from the owners of the bees.
It is also about the crimes they will commit in the future. Unchecked, they will move on to worse crimes because they only consider their own sick and perverted whims and do not care about others.
It isn’t mercy to leave them in that state. If you are concerned at all for their future, they need a painful intervention to change the course of their lives.
This is a jr. Antifa initiation rite to become part of the hive mind
Glad neighborhood buzz caught them and a sting operation was not
necessary
I would fire those sons of bees from a cannon so far back
into juvi they’d have to pump air into em
Nope, the right and just among us want justice
The disturbed 0bama legacy - not just tolerance for “protest”
but approval for criminality
For example, those 100-odd sociopathic freaks just set free from inauguration intimidation indictments in DC can now entertain the public
with more malevolent actions in the future
You should write a book
“Crime and No Punishment”
Will these bad acts be covered by their parent’s homeowners policy?
Willful malicious property damage in excess of $10,000 in Iowa is a Class C felony, punishable by up to 10 years in prison, and up to $10,000 in fines.
I have not seen a single post on this thread that advocates letting these kids off the hook. Nor have I seen one offering "approval for criminality". I think everyone here has agreed that these kids need to be appropriately punished.
However, torturing/killing them as advocated by some on this thread is way beyond appropriate punishment. If you cannot see that then you are not the least bit "right and just".
Well then, it looks like Class C felony charges are appropriate.
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