I havent read the whole thread...
But i have hit a few caches in the last couple of years with borrowed GPS's and/or borrowed GPS owners.
Left something/took something, signed the log... but never registered until i got my own GPS.
It is a WONDERFUL hobby.
All you do by encrypting, hiding, making hoops... is to limit the casual fun someone can have.
I would never have been bitten by the bug if i had to DECLARE myself, give email address, and log in just to decide whether i liked it.
ALMOST everyone will respect the game.... and those that want to break it will jump through the hoops you set.
But my experience is that it isnt the geocache finders necessarily plundering. I used to have a cache (not a geocache) hidden quite well in the woods... it had a mess kit a couple candles and a cheap pocket knife. One time i went to use it and found a bunch of Cigarette butts and nothing there... its the nature of hidden things to be found SOMETIME.
Oh well, my $0.02 worth
