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One Person Charged In Muldrow $100,000 Bee Theft

MULDROW (KFSM) — Muldrow police issued an arrest warrant fro Eric Friend of Harrison, Arkansas in a $100,000 bee theft case. Friend is charged with crimin...

MULDROW (KFSM) -- Muldrow police issued an arrest warrant fro Eric Friend of Harrison, Arkansas in a $100,000 bee theft case.

Friend is charged with criminal trespassing, after investigators believe he cut the lock of a gate in Muldrow where the bees were located. They believe he got his vehicle stuck in the field and lied to officers in order to get a tow truck to pull his vehicle out.

Friend is also charged with grand larceny, after investigators say they believe he sent three people back to get the bee hives under false pretense.

The crime happened in May of 2016. Now, more than a year later the theft has the owner of the hives and Hill Top Garden, J.D. Hill still struggling to revamp bee production.

"That year there was a total loss on this yard of bees. That was one of my better comb yards that I had. So, this year I had to go back and start all over with baby bees which takes this season here for them to grow up to adults, to fill a hive up enough with bees to make honey comb," Hill said.

During the time Friend was to be served with an arrest warrant investigators in Muldrow said he was federally indicted on drug charges in Harrison, Arkansas.

Investigators said Friend will have to complete all of his court appearances in federal court before being transported back to Sequoyah County.

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