Contraband Near Geocache

[+momzn2fun]

I'm a NOOb to geocaching and was quite surprised to find a camouflauged stash instead of a cache near a logged site. I disposed of the items, left the area immediately and contacted the police. YIKES!!!! I'm sort of freaked out by the experience and wondering about the safety of the sport. I usually have kids with me and had intended to go caching with my 4-H club.

[Cannondale Express]

As with any sport or game that encompasses public areas and public land there is at least a minimal risk of running across the situation that you have mentioned. That's why I recommend using the buddy system and being ever vigilent even in the areas that you're quite faimiliar with. Although many do not agree with this mindset, at times I carry a sidearm with me for protection. However, overall I find all outdoor activities relatively safe as long as one keeps their wits about themselves.

[+CamoCacher]

As with any thing in life there are always risk, that said no the area you are going to, listen to your intiution, and keep your eyes open. In the 45 caches I have done there has yet to be an issue, my boss had done 61 with no issues. Most on here bring their kids. Also on the caches look for the kid friendly symbol.

[+Team Teuton]

A camouflaged stash of what?

[+briansnat]

With almost a quarter of a million caches out there, you're gonna find one now and then in a bad spot, or encounter something unpleasant on the way. Its far from the norm and thousands of families geocache every day without incident.

[+Wacka]

I have found 2000 caches. A few were in areas with a lot of garbage and I only had one (which I DNF'd (did not find)) that had dangerous stuff near it (a syringe). It was in a bad section of the city.

Otherwise, I haven't found any dangerous objects, just maybe gunk when I stuck my hand in a rotting log without looking!

Edited December 20, 2005 by Wacka

[JohnX]

I disposed of the items, left the area immediately and contacted the police. YIKES!!!!

Yikes! is right. Why in the world would you destroy or dispose of the evidence and then call the police? If you planned to involve law enforcement, you should have put everything back the way you found it and let them do their job.

[+momzn2fun]

Why in the world would you destroy or dispose of the evidence and then call the police? If you planned to involve law enforcement, you should have put everything back the way you found it and let them do their job.

Gee Matlock maybe you're reading a little too much into this... I dropped the package of syringes and white powder in a trash can less than 20 yards from where I found it and quickly left the area. I returned home and phoned the sheriff and gave all the details. He thanked me for calling it in and said a unit would be sent to investigate. Lessons learned: 1. Rural America isn't safe anymore. 2. I will from this point on, utilize my CCW and always bring another adult or a dog along for the hunt. 3. I will not open unmarked cache containers in front of my kids.

[+Team Red Oak]

Wow-

 

Sorry to hear that happened to you. It happened to us once as well. We found about a dozen tiny blue baggies of white powder strewn on the ground at the National Arboretum while looking for a cache. It looked as though some one dropped them as they were not hidden and in the middle of the path. We left them there and notified the Arboretum security. We thought of picking them up, but in the end decided that we should leave them in case there was any evidence or even residue on the little baggies.

 

Just keep caching and remember we can't change the actions of others. Drugs and crime are everywhere. If I hide a cache and a month later someone finds drugs nearby it doesn't mean I hid my cache in a dangerous place. It just means that the person who put the drugs there also liked the secluded spot. If I get continuing reports of drug or suspicous activity in the area, then I may consider removing the cache.

 

BTW - if you found a container of drugs, you didn't find the cache. Cache containers are normally marked.

 

added: I hope you logged a DNF with the reason why so the cache owner is aware of drug activity near the cache.

Edited December 20, 2005 by Team Red Oak

[+BlueDeuce]

Lessons learned: 1. Rural America isn't safe anymore.

You mean you now know that rural American isn't as safe as you thought it was.

 

BD

Rural Iowa.

[+Les Nomades]

In our case, about a month ago, looking for a cache in the woods, we found a beautiful leather suitcase full of documents. We never found the cache but once home, we found papers inside with which we were able to contact the owner. Was he ever glad to recover his suitcase that was stolen from him a week earlier and that also contained 9 months of business work. hmmm....not sure I would have called if it had contained a couple of millions.

[+StarBrand]

With over 230 finds - my wife and I have only run across 1 area within 100 feet of a cache that had a number of needles and empty baggies laying around. We called the local PD and they took care of it. I think we got the officer hooked on caching too.

[+eosxt]

Why call the cops?

[magellan315]

Calling the police was the right thing to do. They will keep a closer eye on the area for potential dealers and users. I would say that what happened is a semi-isolated incident. Yes there are geocachers who have found similar items, the majority have not. In 4 years of Geocaching I have yet to have this experience.

[+deimos444]

As a canine handler who takes a drug sniffing doggie almost everywhere I go we

( actually the doggie ) have found quite a few stashes and probably caused a great deal of adolescent angst.

As in life in general just use some discretion in where you travel alone.

If the stashers suspect who you are and want to exact revenge it is probably best not to go back to that spot.

[+Kai Team]

Why in the world would you destroy or dispose of the evidence and then call the police? If you planned to involve law enforcement, you should have put everything back the way you found it and let them do their job.

Gee Matlock maybe you're reading a little too much into this... I dropped the package of syringes and white powder in a trash can less than 20 yards from where I found it and quickly left the area. I returned home and phoned the sheriff and gave all the details. He thanked me for calling it in and said a unit would be sent to investigate. Lessons learned: 1. Rural America isn't safe anymore. 2. I will from this point on, utilize my CCW and always bring another adult or a dog along for the hunt. 3. I will not open unmarked cache containers in front of my kids.

I wouldn't pick up a packet of syringes and white powder for several reasons:

 

1) if the syringes are dirty (used), you risk a needle stick and infection;

2) if the person who owns them happens upon you moving them, he might think you are stealing from him and react accordingly;

3) if a law enforcement officer happens upon you moving them, he might perceive you as the owner (possession is 9/10ths of the law).

4) depending on the quantity and what they were, law enforcement might have wanted to stake out the area or use the materials as evidence. Now all they'll find is your fingerprints.

 

The drugs were there regardless of geocaching. As others have said, best to just leave them alone and notify the authorities and post a note on the cache page alerting others.

 

As for the dangers of geocaching, it's no more dangerous than hiking, bird watching or walking around a city. These incidents are, as others have noted, quite rare.

 

Edit: Typos

Edited December 22, 2005 by Kai Team

[+momzn2fun]

I wouldn't pick up a packet of syringes and white powder for several reasons:

If you were looking for a small cache would you pick up a camo bandana rolled up and tied with a hair tie and hidden in a bush?

 

An identifying mark on the outside of legitimate cache containers would be useful.

[+BrianAndAmanda]

I will from this point on, utilize my CCW and always bring another adult or a dog along for the hunt.

should be utlizing that CCW anyway. Im about to begin classes for mine soon

[+OmniCitadel]

jeeze man take it and sell it... i mean come on... entrepreneurialism is the American way of life...

</Sarcasm>

[+Renegade Knight]

I wouldn't pick up a packet of syringes and white powder for several reasons:

If you were looking for a small cache would you pick up a camo bandana rolled up and tied with a hair tie and hidden in a bush? ...

Heck yeah, not because it's the cache, I've never seen a cache remotely close to that. I'd pick it up because I'd wonder just what in the heck that was.

[+Indotguy]

I'm not sure I see the point of packing a handgun while caching. Would you shoot a drug stash with the intent to kill or just to maim? To anyone who is so scared to go Geocaching they feel the need to pack heat, I would suggest they look for another activity. Bowling for instance.

[+the hermit crabs]

I'm not sure I see the point of packing a handgun while caching.  Would you shoot a drug stash with the intent to kill or just to maim?  To anyone who is so scared to go Geocaching they feel the need to pack heat, I would suggest they look for another activity.  Bowling for instance.   

Or maybe not!

[Cannondale Express]

Because of the rural nature of my area, I've been able to combine several activities into one. An example of this is geocaching and small game hunting. And I do agree with the consensus that with all activities there is a risk, although I feel the risk is minimal and can be minimized by using prudent judgment. Tips to follow is to try to have a friend with you at all times or at least let others know where you will be and the time of your return. As far as finding the drugs in the area close to the cache, I would have never approached the area as to allow the police the opportunity to perform a complete investigation. However, when it comes to safety, I feel that it is the person's judgment to the level of protection they feel they may need.

[+BilboB]

I am in the Army and was geocaching in uniform at a reststop on the way to work when this guys runs up to me and starts telling me he thinks he found a bomb (he thought I was looking for it too). He brought me right to the cache and I logged the find. I told him what it was and he left in a hurry quite embarrassed.

[+Harry Dolphin]

I am in the Army and was geocaching in uniform at a reststop on the way to work when this guys runs up to me and starts telling me he thinks he found a bomb (he thought I was looking for it too). He brought me right to the cache and I logged the find. I told him what it was and he left in a hurry quite embarrassed.

Well, I guess that's one answer to the question asked in other fora about 'caching teams', but you needn't have embarrassed the earlier finder.

I have not found contraband, unless one considers used condoms to be contraband. Not sure if needles qualify as contraband...

But, reading logs, one cache hider found a stash in his first choice for for a waypoint on a multi. Another seeker found a pistol hidden in the rock wall.

I've found some rather bizarre items doing cache maintenance, but that's a different question.