Missing cache containers

[+silvermoose]

I've only posted once before on the forums, so I'm hoping that this is a good place to discuss this topic, but I wanted to know if anyone else has been missing cache containers lately? And if it's normal to have to replace 5 of your cache containers in a less than 2 month period? We only have 13 caches, so this seems pretty high to me. We really enjoy hiding caches, but it is getting expensive to keep replacing them! One of them, I replaced, and after only 2 more cachers got to find it, it's gone again. Has anyone else been having trouble? Or maybe this is personal, but I can't think of anyone that we would have offended lately.

[+W7WT]

I've only posted once before on the forums, so I'm hoping that this is a good place to discuss this topic, but I wanted to know if anyone else has been missing cache containers lately? And if it's normal to have to replace 5 of your cache containers in a less than 2 month period? We only have 13 caches, so this seems pretty high to me. We really enjoy hiding caches, but it is getting expensive to keep replacing them! One of them, I replaced, and after only 2 more cachers got to find it, it's gone again. Has anyone else been having trouble? Or maybe this is personal, but I can't think of anyone that we would have offended lately.

 

Gee I am sorry to hear that. I have done most of your caches and they are well done and enjoyable. You are also a very nice person and I can't believe you would have offended anyone. You have caches in several areas. Are the containers missing in any particular area?? Dick

 

I just noticed I have 999 posts on the forums. I understand that you become a forum lizard when you hit 1000

Edited October 28, 2008 by W7WT

[jholly]

I've only posted once before on the forums, so I'm hoping that this is a good place to discuss this topic, but I wanted to know if anyone else has been missing cache containers lately? And if it's normal to have to replace 5 of your cache containers in a less than 2 month period? We only have 13 caches, so this seems pretty high to me. We really enjoy hiding caches, but it is getting expensive to keep replacing them! One of them, I replaced, and after only 2 more cachers got to find it, it's gone again. Has anyone else been having trouble? Or maybe this is personal, but I can't think of anyone that we would have offended lately.

 

Swaninwa had a whole multi disappear. Check the logs of GC19T2J. But yes, I think 5 out of 13 is pretty high. I had my cache in Old Man House park completely destroyed. I found just a piece or two. I'm sorry to hear about it, I've enjoyed all your caches.

 

Jim

[+Jomer & Traci]

We had the same experience in Ellensburg. Our cache was a small in a public park. The park was in a residential area, but the houses weren't too close, so we weren't worried. It disappeared 5 or 6 times before we finally archived it. We had the feeling it was the same person, but had no way of finding out, other than a stake out! None of our other caches went missing. The only thing we can figure is that a resident got frustrated after the Yakima Cache Machine and started taking it. We did start leaving notes with our contact information and pleads to not take it, but we never heard anything. the worst part was that a TB went missing along with the cache. We felt really bad.

 

It is very frustrating, and I am sorry to hear you are going through it. If it is big enough for a TB, I would ask that people don't put them in your cache. That is a feeling you don't want to experience!

[+silvermoose]

They aren't really in the same place. My Edible plants one is one of them. Thats up in Port Gamble. Which was nowhere near the main trail, so I really don't think a muggle would have found and taken that one. My Vampire Slayer has now been taken twice. It's in Silverdale. I am trying to decide whether to change the container, or get another one. Getting kind of expensive. Also, my Spring showers was taken. That's one of the kids' birthday caches, and the other one, Birthday at the Cine-Moose disappeared as well. The nano part, not the tin. Thats in Poulsbo. Guess I need to find one of those tiny cameras.............

[+silvermoose]

They aren't really in the same place. My Edible plants one is one of them. Thats up in Port Gamble. Which was nowhere near the main trail, so I really don't think a muggle would have found and taken that one. My Vampire Slayer has now been taken twice. It's in Silverdale. I am trying to decide whether to change the container, or get another one. Getting kind of expensive. Also, my Spring showers was taken. That's one of the kids' birthday caches, and the other one, Birthday at the Cine-Moose disappeared as well. The nano part, not the tin. Thats in Poulsbo. Guess I need to find one of those tiny cameras.............

[+W7WT]

What is happening to you is why some cachers make the ones that go missing subscriber only caches. They feel that is is more likely not a PM that is stealing the caches and the others would not see the listing. As you know not everyone would be happy about that. Dick

Edited October 29, 2008 by W7WT

[+quadmommy]

I had one that went missing in Belfair at the old waterwheel. I'd like to try and replace it in the same spot. Would you suggest that I make it PM cache only?

[+W7WT]

Gosh, I don't really know for that area. You don't want to upset the troops. They can always find out about the cache if they want to and might decide to wipe you out. If you haven't lost too many, I think if it was mine I would NOT make it a subscriber only cache. Others that have put out PM only caches could better advise you. (boy, I sure tippy toed around that one) dick

[+W7WT]

Sorry about the dup.

Edited October 29, 2008 by W7WT

[+fairyhoney]

But then, making a cache PM only doesn't mean others won't find it because I personally Know of a couple in a series that were PM BUT someone went around with somebody who is and was still able to "claim" them. Go figure.

And yes, two of those went missing one was a true lock N lock

[Team Misguided]

The theory is that if someone is out there stealing cache containers for kicks, it's a good bet that they will only sign up for the free membership. By making your caches PM only for a while it can help to shield them from such an individual.

 

If there is a cache thief in the area they are doing it for attention and the one way to get them to go away and move on to something else is to make it harder for them to find the caches and/or not give them the attention they are looking for.

Edited October 30, 2008 by Team Misguided

[+Jomer & Traci]

I agree with making caches PM only, but this doesn't help the current caches that are being stolen. The thiefs already know where they are!

[+Dgwphotos]

I agree with making caches PM only, but this doesn't help the current caches that are being stolen. The thiefs already know where they are!

 

Yes, it does. If they cannot access the cache listing, then they don't know when it has been replaced to steal it again.

[+mudsneaker]

Another approach to consider is this.

 

Disable the caches for a month and don't replace them. Wait till the weather gets colder and the cache snatcher to get bored. Replace, set them to PM and enable, keeping an eye on who's looking and finding the caches. If it disappears at least you may have a feeling for whats happening. If theres no problems after another month take off the PM tag.

[+silvermoose]

Is there a way as owner, to see who is watching a cache?

[+MtnGoat50]

Is there a way as owner, to see who is watching a cache?

Yep, If it's a "Premium Members Only" cache you can see an audit log of everyone that's looked at the page.

 

I've only had a couple go missing. Making them PM caches has helped and it can be fun to see who's visiting your cache page.

[+MtnGoat50]

Is there a way as owner, to see who is watching a cache?

Yep, If it's a "Premium Members Only" cache you can see an audit log of everyone that's looked at the page.

 

I've only had a couple go missing. Making them PM caches has helped and it can be fun to see who's visiting your cache page.

Just to clarify my statement. There is no way to see who has the cache on their "watchlist".

[+silvermoose]

I was hoping there would be a way to see who has it on their watchlist as the last time I replaced one of my containers, it was out for only a few days, found by only 2 people, before it was taken again. I figure they had to have been watching it. It's so frustrating!

[+pdxrose]

It isn't necessarily someone who even logs into geocaching.com. It could be a local who knows about the cache spot and repeatedly stops by to take any container. We have a difficult time keeping a container at the Original Stash Tribute Plaque cache. Sometimes it only lasts a few weeks and all of the trackables in it go missing. But, so many people log the cache we hate to not have a container there. We bike locked the ammo can to a tree and they took the bottom of the can and left the lid that was locked to the tree. Team 360 is working on some kind of one piece container or a welded lid - so the entire thing could be padlocked. But, they could still stop by and take everything inside.

 

Life isn't perfect when we have to live in a muggle world.

 

At one of my caches it went missing shortly after I had hidden it. So I figured it wasn't the best hiding spot. I changed the cache to a micro - hidden in a different spot. The cache is in a State Park that lots of people visit, so they appreciate having a cache there, even if it is a micro. It is in a high muggle area, so that is about the best we can do to keep a cache at that spot.

 

I'm sorry your caches go missing

[jholly]

Team 360 is working on some kind of one piece container or a welded lid - so the entire thing could be padlocked. But, they could still stop by and take everything inside.

 

 

You could put a combo lock on it, indicate on the cache page where you can find the combo on the internet, like on your profile page. Or use the co-ordinates some how for the combo with instructions on the cache page on how to get the combo. At least then they have to read the cache page before they clean things out.

 

Jim

[+Prying Pandora]

We bike locked the ammo can to a tree and they took the bottom of the can and left the lid that was locked to the tree. Team 360 is working on some kind of one piece container or a welded lid - so the entire thing could be padlocked. But, they could still stop by and take everything inside.

I have one very popular cache (over 750 finds, plus more that re-visit for TBs) that had no problems for several years. Then it began getting stolen periodically. In frustration I bike locked it to a tree like you did, but I went an extra step. In addition to running the cable through the handle of the lid, I ran a second bike lock cable through the handle on the bottom of the box by the latch. No problems since. The contents are still vulnerable, but so far thieves have been only interested in the box so I have not taken the extra step of locking the box shut. Hopefully I won't have to.

 

That might be a solution you can try for the OSTP. To make the container easy to open, I ran the cable for the bottom of the box through the looped cable that was attached to the top, rather than running them both around the tree.

[+Lightning Jeff]

The contents are still vulnerable, but so far thieves have been only interested in the box so I have not taken the extra step of locking the box shut. Hopefully I won't have to.

I've thought about ways to secure a box shut with a lock of some kind. For instance, there are kits to adapt a standard ammo can for a padlock. However, I've been concerned about the etiquette in doing this. It seems like land managers might frown on boxes they can't readily inspect (without the necessary info). Similarly, it seems like locked boxes might lead to more "it's a bomb!" scares (seems silly to me, but who knows). Thoughts?

[+Prying Pandora]

The contents are still vulnerable, but so far thieves have been only interested in the box so I have not taken the extra step of locking the box shut. Hopefully I won't have to.

I've thought about ways to secure a box shut with a lock of some kind. For instance, there are kits to adapt a standard ammo can for a padlock. However, I've been concerned about the etiquette in doing this. It seems like land managers might frown on boxes they can't readily inspect (without the necessary info). Similarly, it seems like locked boxes might lead to more "it's a bomb!" scares (seems silly to me, but who knows). Thoughts?

That's where the big in-your-face official geocache sticker is an important accessory.

 

 

I wouldn't advise putting a lock on a box unless it ties in with a theme of some sort or is a cache particularly vulnerable to muggling. Plaidguy has devised a simple watertight way to padlock an ammo box that has stood up well in the field for years. Email him if you want to know how to do it.

[+silvermoose]

Well, guess what! Another cache container of mine has gone missing! One I have already replaced before, and it was found once, and now is gone. Just like with the Moose the Vampire Slayer. This one is Moose's Guide to Edible plants. Twice now! Going to try the suggestions here. Either disable it for a month, then replace it but make it premium. Or, archive it and move it down the other trail. I really like that container, and it isn't easily replaced. Still haven't gotten the Vampire Slayer replaced as that has disappeared twice. Very frustrated. I'm thinking that archiving it might be better as they probably already know where it was.

 

ARRRGGGHHHH!!!!

[jholly]

Well, guess what! Another cache container of mine has gone missing! One I have already replaced before, and it was found once, and now is gone. Just like with the Moose the Vampire Slayer. This one is Moose's Guide to Edible plants. Twice now! Going to try the suggestions here. Either disable it for a month, then replace it but make it premium. Or, archive it and move it down the other trail. I really like that container, and it isn't easily replaced. Still haven't gotten the Vampire Slayer replaced as that has disappeared twice. Very frustrated. I'm thinking that archiving it might be better as they probably already know where it was.

 

ARRRGGGHHHH!!!!

 

Sorry to hear about that. If Minion is okay then I wonder if someone has a favorite spot out there and Edible Plants is blocking their hide? In an effort to get the spot cleared they take your cache hoping you will archive it and let them have their spot. If you replace it I would suggest that you leave it disabled for a while, noting that your getting a new container, move it to a new spot, and then enable it as a PMOC. You can move it 528 feet as long as you don't get within 528 feet of another cache. I would move it because although it is a PMOC cache it will still show up in a search for a non-PM but won't have the co-ordinates or description. You will have a log of who looked at the cache page, but any PQ's won't show up. And if it still goes MIA then you have to figure some PM is out to get your caches.

 

Jim

[+fairyhoney]

 

I would move it because although it is a PMOC cache it will still show up in a search for a non-PM but won't have the co-ordinates or description. You will have a log of who looked at the cache page, but any PQ's won't show up. And if it still goes MIA then you have to figure some PM is out to get your caches.

 

Jim

 

 

Really, I had NO idea that you can actually see who has looked on a premium. You know, what if a non premium cacher has access to "premium" through a friend who is and This is how they have been able to find said cache? - Actually, I don't know how they are able to log it.

[jholly]

 

Really, I had NO idea that you can actually see who has looked on a premium. You know, what if a non premium cacher has access to "premium" through a friend who is and This is how they have been able to find said cache? - Actually, I don't know how they are able to log it.

 

Of course if a premium member friend is adding and abetting the non premium member, your sunk. As I found out logging is fairly simple. Go to log any non premium cache and then remove the ID=XXXXX part of the url and insert WP=GCXXXXX and refresh. Bingo, your on the PMOC log page. You can get the GC number from the search page where PMOC caches show up, or your premium member friend gives it to you.

 

Jim

[+Shop99er]

We're having a problem with a cache in Bremerton. It's gone missing twice within weeks. We're looking into a micro for the same place now. It would be nice if we could keep it a regular for travel bugs but if someone visits and takes the container it's not worth risking having bug go missing.

[+-Hawk-]

I had one in the Port Orchard area that went missing many times within a very short period of time. Although I would have liked to keep replacing containers I opted to archive it due to the change in the overgrowth in the area. As far as making it PM or not, I kinda like Mudsneakers theory on it.