Farmers say bear responsible for honey, blueberry theft

DAYTON, Ore. — Farmers north of Salem have finally identified a suspected burglar after finding a trail of broken honey beehives and huge paw prints on their Dayton property.

The Statesman Journal reports that 37-year-old Juan Corona spotted a small black bear Tuesday morning while he adjusted an irrigation pipe at Janzen Farms.

Corona says the bear was near the edge of the blueberry patch and didn’t seem to be moving very fast.

Sherri Janzen, whose parents own the farm, says she originally thought local kids were responsible for the hives being knocked several feet away from their original location.

It wasn’t until Corona saw the bear that the destruction started to make sense.

Wildlife officials are trying to trap the bear and say veterinarians will decide if it can be re-released.