Do they mean us?

[+MartyBartfast]

The Metropolitan Police have recently been running an advertising campaing advising the public to be on the lookout for and report people acting suspiciously, this can mean using more than one mobile phone, taking pictures of things that aren't the usual run of the mill touristy stuff, and probably includes people wondering around an area with a handheld electronic device, looking under bushes.

 

I suspect this is going to make encounters with the boys in blue a more frequent occurence, and if so might the Met decide to close down some caches if they feel they're getting an inordinate number of reports of suspicious behaviour?

 

See The Register for some details.

[+The Chaos Crew]

The Metropolitan Police have recently been running an advertising campaing advising the public to be on the lookout for and report people acting suspiciously, this can mean using more than one mobile phone, taking pictures of things that aren't the usual run of the mill touristy stuff, and probably includes people wondering around an area with a handheld electronic device, looking under bushes.

 

I suspect this is going to make encounters with the boys in blue a more frequent occurence, and if so might the Met decide to close down some caches if they feel they're getting an inordinate number of reports of suspicious behaviour?

 

See The Register for some details.

 

my 17 year old son is in trouble then, he always seems to have about 4 mobile phones on the go at any given time, god knows why

 

(maybe I should report him, like when the Hitler Youth used to dob in their parents )

 

To be honest I think nowadays, with people so paranoid about terrorism (and given that your average joe wouldn't really know what a GPS is but would know enough to know it isn't a normal mobile phone/MP3 etc), a geocacher looking for an urban hide would look pretty suspicious anyway, regardless of this new ad campaign.

 

In the country I think it's less of a worry, mainly because small woods in the Cotswolds aren't much of a terrorist target

[+t.a.folk]

The Metropolitan Police have launched an intensive media onslaught aimed at advising Londoners just what to do if their shifty-looking Arab next door neighbour.......

 

Don't know about the caching aspect ,but opened your link and the opening sentence has us wondering about our understanding of what is P.C.

[+purple_pineapple]

.... (and given that your average joe wouldn't really know what a GPS is but would know enough to know it isn't a normal mobile phone/MP3 etc), a geocacher looking for an urban hide would look pretty suspicious anyway, regardless of this new ad campaign.

 

 

funny you should say that - there was a story in the London Metro very recently about someone who mistook an mp3 player (complete with headphones) for a gun, called the police, and armed police turned up and surrounded this poor bloke at a bus stop, guns pointing etc, and then karted him off to the local station for questioning. Obviously, he was released without charge...

 

So if a muppet from the public can't tell the difference between an mp3 player and a gun, I don't hold much hope for us!!!

[+t.a.folk]

To be honest I think nowadays, with people so paranoid about terrorism (and given that your average joe wouldn't really know what a GPS is but would know enough to know it isn't a normal mobile phone/MP3 etc), a geocacher looking for an urban hide would look pretty suspicious anyway, regardless of this new ad campaign.

 

In the country I think it's less of a worry, mainly because small woods in the Cotswolds aren't much of a terrorist target

 

Don't want to scare you but Terrorists were discovered to be training in the woods of the New Forest .

 

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/article635811.ece

[+pklong]

The Metropolitan Police have recently been running an advertising campaing advising the public to be on the lookout for and report people acting suspiciously, this can mean using more than one mobile phone, taking pictures of things that aren't the usual run of the mill touristy stuff, and probably includes people wondering around an area with a handheld electronic device, looking under bushes.

 

I suspect this is going to make encounters with the boys in blue a more frequent occurence, and if so might the Met decide to close down some caches if they feel they're getting an inordinate number of reports of suspicious behaviour?

 

See The Register for some details.

 

This is similar to the "if you see something say something" campaign they have in the states. I'm sure most sensible people will have a chuckle and disregard it, but one or two of the less sane will be calling it 24/7 reporting all and such. A complete waste of time.

 

If you have an encounter with the Met just hope they don't decide to arrest you. Your finger prints and DNA will end up on file forever.

[+The Chaos Crew]

To be honest I think nowadays, with people so paranoid about terrorism (and given that your average joe wouldn't really know what a GPS is but would know enough to know it isn't a normal mobile phone/MP3 etc), a geocacher looking for an urban hide would look pretty suspicious anyway, regardless of this new ad campaign.

 

In the country I think it's less of a worry, mainly because small woods in the Cotswolds aren't much of a terrorist target

 

Don't want to scare you but Terrorists were discovered to be training in the woods of the New Forest .

 

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/article635811.ece

 

I'm not scared, big girl, me

 

I meant that it's less of a worry that you might be reported to the local plod while geocaching, as people in the country are not on such high alert as people in, say, the London square mile, or another high risk area

[+The Lavender Hill Mob]

If you have an encounter with the Met just hope they don't decide to arrest you. Your finger prints and DNA will end up on file forever.

If they drop the charges then you can ask for the DNA and fingerprints to be destroyed, but YOU have to ask for it to be done.

[+Cushie Butterfield]

If it means that everyone is more aware of what could happen and looking out for suspicious people I would be quite happy to be stopped every time I went caching. If you're doing nothing wrong then you have nothing to be worried about.

 

If a particular cache is causing concern then I would assume a responsible owner would remove it anyway, regardless of what the police could/would do about it.

[+MartyBartfast]

The Metropolitan Police have launched an intensive media onslaught aimed at advising Londoners just what to do if their shifty-looking Arab next door neighbour.......

 

Don't know about the caching aspect ,but opened your link and the opening sentence has us wondering about our understanding of what is P.C.

 

Well that's fairly typical of their satirycal style I'm afraid.

 

If it means that everyone is more aware of what could happen and looking out for suspicious people I would be quite happy to be stopped every time I went caching. If you're doing nothing wrong then you have nothing to be worried about.

 

If a particular cache is causing concern then I would assume a responsible owner would remove it anyway, regardless of what the police could/would do about it.

 

TBH I can't see that it's going to make any difference at all to any terrorist threat. If the chirpy cockneys are now looking out for people using multiple mobiles or photographing train stations then the terrorists will just make sure they don't do it or do it discretely and unobserved. All this is likely to do is to create loads of false calls, waste a lot of police time (when they could be doing real police work ), inconvenience a lot of people and give the Met an excuse for collecting DNA samples from the masses. Once they've got the DNA you can ask for it to be deleted from their records but it's not easy to get them to do do, I'm not sure that they HAVE to do so at your request, and even if they say they've done it you have no way of verifying that it's been done.

 

I reckon it was more likely something dreamed up by their PR department than the anti terrorist squad.

[+The Other Stu]

If they drop the charges then you can ask for the DNA and fingerprints to be destroyed, but YOU have to ask for it to be done.

Apparently not

 

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/7267421.stm

 

Edit: To add, if you are arrested for a "recordable offence", since 2004 the Police now have the right to keep your DNA profile on record.

If they arrested you for suspected Terrorism, I would say that it sounds like it would be "recordable"

 

Stu

Edited March 7, 2008 by The Other Stu

[+Bill D (wwh)]

The Met are aware of geocaching, and Deceangi drew up an agreement with them which is listed in GAGB's Landowner Agreements Database.

 

---

Bill, Chairman GAGB

[+keehotee]

The Met are aware of geocaching, and Deceangi drew up an agreement with them which is listed in GAGB's Landowner Agreements Database.

 

---

Bill, Chairman GAGB

So now all the terrorists have to say is that they're looking for a cache and the Met will let them go on their way?????????

[+currykev]

Very famailiar territory for a few of us London cachers!

Edited March 7, 2008 by currykev

[+The Lavender Hill Mob]

Very famailiar territory for a few of us London cachers!

What..............being stopped by the Met and allowed to continue on your way while carrying a tupperware box pakced with C4?

 

Edited to add...............you do all realise that there are keywords on this post which will be picked up by some superdooper software for analysis at AREA 51!

Edited March 7, 2008 by The Lavender Hill Mob

[+MartyBartfast]

The Met are aware of geocaching, and Deceangi drew up an agreement with them which is listed in GAGB's Landowner Agreements Database.

 

---

Bill, Chairman GAGB

 

I'm aware of that agreement, and where it says "avoid acting in a suspicious or furtive manner", they've now publicly stated that using more than one mobile phone, or taking pictures of unusual objects is suspicious and should be reported to the police. Given that the average Joe Public wouldn't be able to tell the difference between a GPS, a PDA and a mobile (at least from any distance) we're all in the frame as soon as we get out gear out of our bags (and god help us if that bag happpens to be a rucksack).

 

The problem is that while at the moment a copper on the beat might know about caching, might even be aware of some cache locations, and would use his judgement and discretion to perhaps take no action, or just have a quiet word and be satisfied; now a member of the public is going to see someone using several bits of kit (GPS, PDA and mobile) and place a call, are the Met going to think that there's a cache in the area so don't bother?, or are they going to dispatch a PC (more likely 2), then there will be forms to fill in lots of wasted time and I expect the footsloggers of the Met will be as cheesed off with it as the punters who are getting pulled off the streets.

 

There was a guy in London very recently arrested for using an MP3 player 'cos some member of the public thought it was a gun.

 

All in all I think it's scaremongering and we as a group (among others) are going to suffer for no benefit to public safety.

[Deceangi]

The advice from the Met if challenged is to explain exactly what you are doing, and to follow all instructions given to you. You'll probably find that unarmed officers will be the first to respond as there are finite Trojan [permanently Armed Police Oficers] on duty at any time, and they can't be tasked to every call out.

 

Londoners lived through the IRA bombing campaign, without phoning in to report every suspiciously acting person. I'd hazard a guess that in some areas you can't walk 2 paces without seeing something that a normal person would not be doing and in each case it will turn out to be a tourist .

 

In many cases it's not the person whose acting in a suspicious manner who has to worry, as they stick out like a sore thumb. Something someone up to no good wishes to avoid. The biggest problem and something highlighted during the discussions with the Met, was the risk of a tragic accident [the officers words] due to a misunderstanding between the officers attending the location and the person being challenged. So I'll repete the Advice

 

Advice if challenged is to explain exactly what you are doing, and to follow all instructions given to you

 

If anyone is worried about caching in London, wishes to contact me before hand. I'll give them my Home and mobile phone No's, just in case their challenged by the Police. In such a case I will give the Officers the Name and contact details of the Metropolitan Police Officer with whom the Agreement was made and to who all details of New caches placed with the Agreement Area are sent.

 

But I'd say the chances of actually being challenged by the Police whilst out caching in London must be extremely remote. You just have to look at the No of Logs made to these caches, you will have a much higher chance of being asked by a Muggle what you are doing.

[+kewfriend]

Please report all suspicious activity and particular those with "Snow on their Boots" - or "Sand in their Toupes"

Edited March 7, 2008 by kewfriend

[+The Other Stu]

 

<BIG-SNIP>

=======================================

 

Advice if challenged is to explain exactly what you are doing, and to follow all instructions given to you

 

But I'd say the chances of actually being challenged by the Police whilst out caching in London must be extremely remote. You just have to look at the No of Logs made to these caches, you will have a much higher chance of being asked by a Muggle what you are doing.

 

I'll echo that. I went caching the other week around the Holborn area (those of you who know this area will know that it has often been the target of terrorist attacks so they're as jumpy as anywhere round here).

 

There were some caches that I just didn't attempt. I didn't feel comfortable doing them in the middle of a weekday (areas like this are like ghost towns at weekends). I think that's the thing: if you're uncomfortable, it's not enjoyment. What's the point of that? I like a hobby I can enjoy......

 

I still managed 14 in under 2 hours. Just watch out for that stupid DodgyDaveD virtual! @ Ecky

 

I'm going off to Derbyshire now to find some information on a cache......

[+currykev]

I do agree with the Other Stu about comfort zone.I have left caches alone where I felt uncomfortable.

Certain areas of London especially SW1,do have a higher than average PC presence.Whereas in my part of W. London,you can go weeks without seeing one on foot.Good news for cachers and crims alike! In fact your more likely to see a WTF cacher on his bike in my neck of the woods.

[+pklong]

I do agree with the Other Stu about comfort zone.I have left caches alone where I felt uncomfortable.

Certain areas of London especially SW1,do have a higher than average PC presence.Whereas in my part of W. London,you can go weeks without seeing one on foot.Good news for cachers and crims alike! In fact your more likely to see a WTF cacher on his bike in my neck of the woods.

 

You may say that but I couldn't attempt one WTF cache on my way around due to a PCSO at the cache site.

[+keehotee]

I do agree with the Other Stu about comfort zone.I have left caches alone where I felt uncomfortable.

Certain areas of London especially SW1,do have a higher than average PC presence.Whereas in my part of W. London,you can go weeks without seeing one on foot.Good news for cachers and crims alike! In fact your more likely to see a WTF cacher on his bike in my neck of the woods.

 

You may say that but I couldn't attempt one WTF cache on my way around due to a PCSO at the cache site.

I'm assuming WTF doesn't mean the same thing here as it does on other (less reputable) forums (fora?)??

[fraggle69]

You may say that but I couldn't attempt one WTF cache on my way around due to a PCSO at the cache site.

 

I found myself in a graveyard looking shifty round a tomb near Paddington Green copshop. Next to the tomb in question were four PCSO's on bicycles who were more interested in what they doing when they knocked off, than they were about a muppet like me poking and proding a tomb right under their noses. They didn't mistake my yellow etrex for a gun, which given the metal capability of such peole is truly amazing. Looking back on it, they probably thought it was a banana and they wouldn't be the first.

 

Suspicious -Moi?

[+Paul G0TLG]

I went caching the other week around the Holborn area...

 

There were some caches that I just didn't attempt.

 

I know the feeling. I work near Holborn, and the two nearest caches to the office had to wait until I came back on a Saturday Finding a muggle-free time was impossible!

 

And back on OT - I met someone the other day who'd been arrested - actually arrested - for taking pics of the London Eye. And without giving away too much about what I do for a living - I AM in a position to know that his account of what happened is true

Edited March 7, 2008 by Paul G0TLG

[+ClareLouise]

Well, I'm going have to go out wearing my best innocent expression this weekend... although it does make me think twice about taking my camera... which is a shame, because you can find some amazingly beautiful architecture around London, and I love trying to notice the things other might just walk past unnoticed...

[+sTeamTraen]

funny you should say that - there was a story in the London Metro very recently about someone who mistook an mp3 player (complete with headphones) for a gun, called the police, and armed police turned up and surrounded this poor bloke at a bus stop, guns pointing etc, and then karted him off to the local station for questioning. Obviously, he was released without charge...

 

He got off lightly

[+The Other Stu]

I went caching the other week around the Holborn area...

 

There were some caches that I just didn't attempt.

 

I know the feeling. I work near Holborn, and the two nearest caches to the office had to wait until I came back on a Saturday Finding a muggle-free time was impossible!

 

And back on OT - I met someone the other day who'd been arrested - actually arrested - for taking pics of the London Eye. And without giving away too much about what I do for a living - I AM in a position to know that his account of what happened is true

 

Try St Eths on a weekday! Impossibubble!

[nobby.nobbs]

If anyone hears about a tall weird looking bloke getting arrested on sunday or monday please come running!

Been planning the birthday treat for Kathyxb for a while so not going to change it now.