Police have seized 34 beehives believed to have been stolen around Northland.

They visited a property at Waiomio, just south of Kawakawa, on an unrelated matter last week when an officer noticed two trailers loaded with beehives around the back of the house that had been freshly painted.

He took note of a registration number stamped on some of the hives and found the hives belonged to a Mid North beekeeper who had reported a number of thefts over the past year.

Police are speaking with a 54 year-old man living at the address in relation to the thefts.