Geocache Bomb Scare

[+alien88]

It was simply part of an Internet based scavenger hunt, police say.

 

But the Tupperware-like container wrapped in duct tape near the historic Ypsilanti water tower created quite a stir Thursday.

 

The two-hour event began at about 10 a.m. Thursday when Ypsilanti Community Utilities Authority workers found the container while trimming bushes next to the water tower.

 

Police Chief Matt Harshberger said the small container was left at the base of the historical marker sign next to the tower at Cross Street and Washtenaw Avenue.

 

Officers closed eastbound Washtenaw Avenue and routed traffic onto westbound Cross Street and also prohibited pedestrians in the area for about two hours.

A State Police bomb squad team used a robot to get a close-up view of the container through a camera and prod the package.

 

Harshberger said the bomb squad didn't believe the container was an explosive - but just to be safe, they donned protective gear and opened it. Inside was a typical "geocaching" logbook and "treasures," which are usually worthless trinkets.

 

Since about 2000, geocachers on all seven continents, including Antarctica, have been using GPS units to track down "caches" listed online and claim the treasures.

 

Harshberger said police took the container, and officers are attempting to contact the person who placed it.

 

They'll suggest ways to play the game without prompting fears of a bomb, Harshberger said. The chief said no criminal charges are anticipated.

 

Traffic resumed at about noon.

 

http://blog.mlive.com/annarbornews/2008/08..._suspiciou.html

[+TexasGringo]

Put a "GEOCACHING" sticker on it. It just might cut down on some of this stuff.

 

Lots of people have heard of that even though they don't play the game themselves.

[+Renegade Knight]

...They'll suggest ways to play the game without prompting fears of a bomb, Harshberger said. The chief said no criminal charges are anticipated....

 

Well done. I've been working on and off for several years to find someone to do just that. I like this chief. I'd love to publish a guide.

[+wigglesworth]

Stating - the contents are harmless - does not give any guarantees of course.

 

I eagerly await some advice and guidance on the police advice for reducing the fears that we have left bombs.

 

No doubt Groundspeak will be able to update the guidelines.

[+alien88]

I think the identification sticker is a good way to help with it. I don't even know what cache this is, either it was a *brand* new cache or a very old cache that was archived. I cache in this area and was not aware of there being one there.

[imstv1969]

I was at Midwest Geobash this weekend (GC154HT) and attended a Reviewers' Panel where this issue was discussed at length. The two biggest things suggested to prevent this from happening were

 

1. Labeling the cache as a geocache, and

2. Getting the landowner's permission.

 

Both are important, but the problem with #1 is that someday, someone may hide an explosive and label it as a geocache. People will be nonchalant about it and then a very bad thing is going to happen.

 

Getting the landowner's permission is the most important thing, in my opnion. If that person knows it's a cache, situations like the one described in this thread can be avoided. And we really need to do this, because the more bad publicity we get, the more our hobby is going to suffer.

[+alien88]

I was at Midwest Geobash this weekend (GC154HT) and attended a Reviewers' Panel where this issue was discussed at length. The two biggest things suggested to prevent this from happening were

 

1. Labeling the cache as a geocache, and

2. Getting the landowner's permission.

 

Both are important, but the problem with #1 is that someday, someone may hide an explosive and label it as a geocache. People will be nonchalant about it and then a very bad thing is going to happen.

 

Getting the landowner's permission is the most important thing, in my opnion. If that person knows it's a cache, situations like the one described in this thread can be avoided. And we really need to do this, because the more bad publicity we get, the more our hobby is going to suffer.

 

Unfortunately, even getting the landowner's permission won't necessarily solve the problem. I think that's where permits come in handy, because then there's some type of record for it at least. You'd have to assume that whomever communicates the permission also talks to the police, etc, which.. well.. at least around here doesn't always happen!

[+Dread_Pirate_Bruce]

After seeing this thread, I thought: "Who would know better how to keep a cache from being mistaken for a you-know-what, that a cacher in Israel." So, I started looking for cachers in Israel. I finally found one and sent off an e-mail.

 

In the process, I made an interesting observation about caching in Israel. There are something like 96 caches there. I looked at the pages for most of them. There was one with 43 finds, one with 30 finds, one with 17, one with 11, and one with 10 finds.

 

I counted something like 9 caches with only one log entry reflecting an actual search for the cache, and 6 more with only two. And, these were caches that had been around for between a month and a year.

 

I saw three caches that were hidden in July and were without any finds, two from May, two from April, and 7 from March.

 

None of these were particularly hard caches, usually 1.5 or 2 for difficulty and/or terrain. (Not 5/5s or the like) So if anyone is a FTF hound ...

 

Sorry for getting OT.

[+marqueA2]

I'm glad the Ypsi police remained level-headed about this. When I saw this headline yesterday... in the current climate... my first thought was there would be political repercussions for geocaching. But it looks like the police are understanding for once. I'd love to hear what the police had to say about 'best practices'.

 

-marqueA2

[+gvsu4msu]

It has been determined to be a LETTERBOX not a geocache.

[+Castle Mischief]

It has been determined to be a LETTERBOX not a geocache.

 

Source?

[+powercatjeffy]

In an odd sort of way, I'd like to be an owner of a cache that gets the squad called on it. I'd love to walk up upon hearing that the bomb squad had been called, walk right past the cops and the robot, pick up the cache and open it, perhaps letting out a horrific scream as I do so.

[+briansnat]

Getting the landowner's permission is the most important thing, in my opnion. If that person knows it's a cache, situations like the one described in this thread can be avoided. And we really need to do this, because the more bad publicity we get, the more our hobby is going to suffer.

 

 

I recall several instances where the caches were placed with permission and this still happened.

[+Renegade Knight]

I was at Midwest Geobash this weekend (GC154HT) and attended a Reviewers' Panel where this issue was discussed at length. The two biggest things suggested to prevent this from happening were

 

1. Labeling the cache as a geocache, and

2. Getting the landowner's permission.

 

Both are important, but the problem with #1 is that someday, someone may hide an explosive and label it as a geocache. People will be nonchalant about it and then a very bad thing is going to happen.

 

Getting the landowner's permission is the most important thing, in my opnion. If that person knows it's a cache, situations like the one described in this thread can be avoided. And we really need to do this, because the more bad publicity we get, the more our hobby is going to suffer.

 

There is no foolproof method other than placing a cache so muggles don't find them. Not even then.

 

1) Has exactly the problem you identefied. Bomb squads know this and will react accordiing to protocal.

2) A nice gesture but the owner has to be there to say something to the bomb squad. Even then once the call is made protocal takes over and they may blow it up anyway.

3) Clear containers is a common suggestion. It's another feel good measure. The bomb squad won't assume that just becasue they can see the McJunk inside it's clear and protocal will take over.

Our goal is actually to lesson the odds of a false report without at the same time increasing the odds that a real bomb doesn't get reported.

 

Geocaches don't cause bomb scares. Bomb Squads reacting to real and false reports create bomb scares becasue there are real bombs in the world. It pays to keep in mind the real problem is the actual bombs, not people enjoying their daily life.

[+Harry Dolphin]

Hmm... Only one cache that I've found so far has been blown up by the police. It was a micro hanging inside a sign in St. Stephen, NB. About the size of an Altoids container, if I remember correctly. Makes you wonder...