Frustrating, puzzling, happy and sad

[+burgessfour]

As the title says, I have mixed feelings today. Please read my log for GC1E7FK, a cache close to our house and right in the area where coins are going missing like crazy. I went there to try to beat them and get the Map@Syst coin out of there and moved to a better area, it had just been dropped there yesterday and first thing this morning I went there.

 

"October 17 by burgessfour (351 found)

Hmmm, this was an odd visit! Both sad and happy, read on...

As there has been a coin and travel bug thief in the area and this cache is very close to our home, I came today to rescue the Map@Syst coin (that I got started) that was dropped yesterday and move it to a safer area. When I got to the cache none of the coins or travel bug that are listed was there, and there was no log in the logbook since the cacher that dropped them was there. I did see, however, a coin at the bottom that was not in the cache. I rescued it with a heavy heart and came to find out that it has been missing since June of last year.

I'm very puzzled and frustrated by this behavior and coin thievery in general, but I am glad to have found a lost traveler."

 

The coin is TB1A7NX and is now happily back in circulation; I both logged and e-mailed the owner and offered to mail it to them if they would like or tag it for a mission and put it into a PM cache.

Why do people steal coins?? And why steal them and upset people and then drop it off a year and a half later? Don't get me wrong, I am elated that they chose to drop it off, but at the expense of two other coins that may or may not ever show up again.

Has anyone run across this before?

Sorry it is so long.....

[+GATOULIS]

Oh!!! I really do not know what to say my friend! Congrats for bringing back in circulation the lost coin.....tell you how much I am sorry for the loss of the coin and the TB....

 

I can not understand coin thiefs! Especially this thief! He droped after a whole year a coin he stole, (didn't like it anymore? ..had guilts??? ) but again he stole 2 others?????? what.....??????????????

[+Geo.Error]

i understand you are mad, but thieves do such things.

 

i have lost a few coins by such cointhieves and i hope my coins will burn in there hand.

 

i go on sending coins into the world, they will not ruin my hobby.

 

Sorry this happed to you

[+RifleMan81]

Could be a case of someone who doesn't cache alot and don't know the rules. Think about how many new topics are started on here from newbs asking about taking/trading coins. All the "I found a coin, can I keep it?" threads. If they didn't ask, they probably wouldn't have found out otherwise and be taking/keeping coins. I think sometimes it may be ignorance, but other times just plain stealing.

[+fairyhoney]

So, it sounds lie as soon as a TB of ANY kind ends up missing shortly after it is log. Must be someone around there. OR could it be a kid or something that just checks on the cache everyday and thinks it as a game? I HOPE NOT. We will always be baffled as to why TBs go missing.

[+Let's Look Over Thayer]

I can not understand coin thiefs! Especially this thief! He droped after a whole year a coin he stole, (didn't like it anymore? ..had guilts??? ) but again he stole 2 others?????? what.....??????????????

It's a bit of a leap to conclude that the coins were stolen and returned by one person. Certainly, it's possible but without further evidence it is also possible that one person dropped off the missing coin and then the thief came along and grabbed everything he/she saw but missed the one. Or any of a number of other possible scenarios.

 

Also, I'd like to point out that not all coins that are assumed to be stolen turn out to be stolen. Some get picked up and misplaced and/or forgotten. Some are taken by newbie cachers. Some are taken with good intent but then some major life event interferes with the follow-up. Over the years, I've had a number of coins that I've assumed to be stolen suddenly reappear and start travelling again. Sometimes, when this happens, I'll get a contrite e-mail from the person explaining what happened. (And yeah, it's possible that they are just feeling guilty and coming up with a story to cover their tracks, but barring further evidence of misdeeds, I'm inclined to give them the benefit of the doubt.)

 

The point of all this is that one shouldn't make assumptions. A lot of things could have happened...

 

As to why do people steal geocoins? Probably the same reasons that the rest of us pay money for them. They are cool and shiny... It's just that some people have a moral/ethical defect that allows them to conclude that it is OK to take without permission and remuneration.

[+burgessfour]

Thank you to everyone who is responding, your different viewpoint are great and hopeful! I haven't been caching that long, so your experience is much greater than mine.

[+Droo]

A sport a while ago was to be a cache pirate.... raid caches without logging the finds. Take the plunder, the TBs and anything else 'coz it's FREE.

But I have to agree with Rifleman... so many noobs who can find the forums but can't find the guidelines to caching or to travelers. And that's just the ones that try. Imagine a 9th grade class going out geocaching for the first time. Lots of free plunder but only one adult to chaperone and hold the line.... yeah right! The loser in this case is the cache owner and any tb/coin owner who had the misfortune of having a traveler in the cache at the time. Malice intended? No, just a well intended dolt who didn't think far enough beyond their own nose. Par for the course, I'm afraid.

 

Releasing coins is like dropping $10 bills in caches... be surprised if they go anywhere at all.

[+clupea]

A sport a while ago was to be a cache pirate.... raid caches without logging the finds. Take the plunder, the TBs and anything else 'coz it's FREE.

But I have to agree with Rifleman... so many noobs who can find the forums but can't find the guidelines to caching or to travelers. And that's just the ones that try. Imagine a 9th grade class going out geocaching for the first time. Lots of free plunder but only one adult to chaperone and hold the line.... yeah right! The loser in this case is the cache owner and any tb/coin owner who had the misfortune of having a traveler in the cache at the time. Malice intended? No, just a well intended dolt who didn't think far enough beyond their own nose. Par for the course, I'm afraid.

 

Releasing coins is like dropping $10 bills in caches... be surprised if they go anywhere at all.

 

The difference between $10 and a geocoin is the former is legal tender and the latter has no intrinsic value to the thief (it's unlikely anyone would be interested in paying for a geocoin on eBay that is activated but not owned by the seller). There are certainly cases of malice aforethought vis a vis raiding coins from caches. See my public book mark list gonif (saga of missing geocoins) for a well documented example.

 

As for the meanderings of the Map@Syst geocoin, the cacher who logged the drop into GC1E7FK and then quickly corrected that by dropping into GC18EFG may well have been made an honest mistake. Unlike the case I documented in my bookmark, this cacher has been a member since 2003 (albeit not premium) and has 160 finds (enough to know the ropes by now) -and- has a picture of himself on his profile page, which to me indicates he is not trying to be evasive.

 

my $0.02,

clupea

[+Lemon Fresh Dog]

Well...this topic is pretty much a favourite, but I think when it comes to coins, there are really two reasons they go away.

 

1) Ignorance

2) Greed

 

Sadly - it takes only 1 pair of hands from someone in either of the above categories to ruin the journey for a coin.

 

So... enjoy it while you can. Most coins do eventually go missing.

 

Europe seems to be a better place to let them travel. Most of mine go missing in North America.

 

Sadly, my area seems to have a "coin thief" - so it's a bad place to release coins. I tend to release them while on vacation.

[+forthferalz]

yeah what he said - the ignorance is rife, not just 'stupid' and continues to be compounded by no travelbug info sheet with most coins. No use supposing a cacher knows what a geocoin is - it was until very recently extrememely rare to find the trackable sort and the supplied printout is just too big. see sigline for a nicely sized one.

additionally:

the first geocoins were just trade/sig items - many still are dropped see sigitem.com

 

trackable on other sites eg. first canadian geocoin www.geocoins.ca/

 

lack of a sensibly sized legible tracking number eg. serial numbering can be confused easily on ellandel coins

the fact that GC still won't discuss the 'other coins' A NEWSLETTER UPDATE CLEARLY SPELLING OUT THE ABOVE INFORMATION WOULD BE REALLY REALLY USEFUL FOR 'REAL GEOCOIN' OWNERS it ain't going to hurt sales but lost trackables will!

 

Events are really good place to lose bugs! Unless you know who you hand off to or someone brings a laptop with wifi access I'd say AVOID taking bugs and coins to events.

 

That travel bug tag info is still confusing too. Scanning the page still takes me awhile to locate travel bug- no picture clue just a tiny tinybit of text which seems tu suggest the TB prefix should be used in front of the numbers on the tag - why can't it lead straight to the tracking page at geocaching.com/track?Why does a geocoin need a TBprefix number as well?

 

I've got fair few coins in circulation now and the majority are FINE. Most carry a note saying if you want to keep it email me to arrange a swap - they swap either a coin into circulation or if they are newbs just drop some swag into the next cache they find.

It still very irksome to lose one - lost our balloon racer just before we could retrieve it close to the end of its trip was logged lost and no reply! ( the 'best' tagged coin - silly me for letting a rare coin go out right?)

[+forthferalz]

Here this is what I meanby confusing - GC seriously suggest KEEPING it as a likely first option!

 

" D: Geocoin and Travel Bug etiquette

 

Solution

The most common question on etiquette relates to what to do if you find a Geocoin or Travel Bug. Keep it? Move it to another geocache? The answer always depends on the goal its owner has set for it. Usually the best way to find the answer to these questions is to visit the trackable item’s personal home page and read the description it contains. If there is a theme or special instructions from the owner you should do your best to adhere to that goal, or send an email to the owner for more clarification.

 

In addition, selling a geocoin which doesn’t belong to you is generally frowned upon unless you have received express permission from its owner. "

 

there is no link in the answer to get you any help finding the "personal home page" talked about.

 

and selling a geocoin you don't own is only generally 'frowned upon? How WIMPY WET can you get?

You BUY the tags and coins from GC - let them know if you think this is not a reasonable explanation page by giving it the thumbs down here: http://support.Groundspeak.com/Support/ind...ratingconfirm=1

[+007BigD]

Boy if its an ongoing problem, I know others dont feel the same and would just let it go, as coins do dissapear everywhere.

 

Me?...I would feel threatened, specially since our area isnt rich in cachers! Try to feel it out as to whats really goin on here. You could always drop off a few Mock travelers, perhaps make up some tags with some missing numbers and place em attached to somethin like a toy.

 

If it is an ongoing problem...what can ya do? Maybe write on the cache/in it "Your being watched!" Shoot, if ya gots a deer camera, you really could!

 

But theres not much else you can do than try to persuade anyone from taking them...If you find em, you could bust there balls and give it a go with public humiliation in your local neck! Slap em around a bit would be best, but thats not feasiable

 

If it is a theft problem, a little lead on to who they are, known by you or the owner may be enough...may not. Some people just enjoy being jerks, only sounds like "IF" they like to take coins, they're just in it for the Shineys! Just like the rest of us

 

Nothin worse than a thief!!!...Specially in your own neck! You gots to figure what is actualy goin on first, before you start finalizing that there is in fact a thief stealing coins.

[+burgessfour]

Hi All!

I have actually figured out who picked up and dropped that coin that has been missing for a year and a half, but I am unclear as to the motive. They have been a cacher for quite some time and I would hate to think that they are a coin thief. However, their actions say differently. I am definitely keeping an eye on them...

007BigD, I am with you that something needs to be done but sometimes I feel like I am chasing my own tail! It is really a bummer to not be able to drop coins off in your own town, and to have to travel to feel like they are safe to place. Luckily I work and have a couple of caches in a somewhat rural area, although even then a coin was taken from a cache that I own! They even signed (more like scribbled) the log as Geofreak and wrote that they took the coin I discovered that Thursday and "wrote a note" for the cache explaining this. There is a cacher with that name, but they haven't cached in a very long time and aren't from around here. It is heartbreaking to have to send the email saying a coin is missing from a cache you own