At $60 for the work of 100 bees, this may be the
"most profitable beekeeping operation" for 2003.

                jim

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Thief uses bees to sting Kmart
BY JACK TYNAN
The Sedalia (Missouri) Democrat


Employees at the Sedalia Kmart were left to fight off a restroom
full of bees as a thief made off with about $60 in stolen goods Monday.

The Sedalia Police Department received a phone call at 4:18 p.m. from
a staff member at the Kmart store, at 1400 S. Limit Ave., who reported
that a man had concealed several stolen items while in the men's bathroom.

It appears the man then released about 100 bees, apparently small honeybees,
in the room and fled the store in the commotion that followed, according
to police reports.

"I'm sure it was so we'll be more concerned about the bees than about
anything else," said store Manager Lancy Ulrich.

A customer found the bees and reported them to a staff member, Mrs. Ulrich said.

Staff then took insecticides off store shelves and killed the bees.

"We just set off a couple (bug) bombs in there and killed them," said Mrs.
Ulrich.

No other customers were aware of the incident.

"We do have associates here who are allergic to bees," said Mrs. Ulrich.
"I'm sure if a customer went in there that was allergic to bees it would be
a dangerous situation."

Staff members suspect the thief made off with $61.48 in stolen merchandise.

Because of the confusion, witnesses were unable to offer a detailed description
of the suspect, only that he is a white man in his early to mid-20s, police
said.

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