Coin Theft

[+Hobo2]

Is it wise to sham people by posting their names here in order to get back a coin you know they have?

 

For months now I have repeatedly tried to contact two cachers who are listed as retrieving my coins, but no answer from ether as of yet. I see they both have logged in since taking my coins, so its not as if their not playing any longer... they must be getting my messages, what else can I do?

 

I know they may have misplaced them, I know all the excuses, but why not answer unless they think they can keep them without anyone finding out but me. If they are thinking this, maybe posting what they did here may stir their conscience, what do you think?

[+Rockin Roddy]

Is it wise to sham people by posting their names here in order to get back a coin you know they have?

 

For months now I have repeatedly tried to contact two cachers who are listed as retrieving my coins, but no answer from ether as of yet. I see they both have logged in since taking my coins, so its not as if their not playing any longer... they must be getting my messages, what else can I do?

 

I know they may have misplaced them, I know all the excuses, but why not answer unless they think they can keep them without anyone finding out but me. If they are thinking this, maybe posting what they did here may stir their conscience, what do you think?

 

I'm not sure you'd be allowed to considering the guidelines, but I could be mistaken!

[+Tequila]

Post the coins and ask if anyone has seen them. Nothing wrong with doing that. Anyone who is interested can check and see who currently has them.

 

Of course, we can also do that by walking through your profile.

[Mushtang]

Is it wise to sham people by posting their names here in order to get back a coin you know they have?

 

For months now I have repeatedly tried to contact two cachers who are listed as retrieving my coins, but no answer from ether as of yet. I see they both have logged in since taking my coins, so its not as if their not playing any longer... they must be getting my messages, what else can I do?

 

I know they may have misplaced them, I know all the excuses, but why not answer unless they think they can keep them without anyone finding out but me. If they are thinking this, maybe posting what they did here may stir their conscience, what do you think?

I would hate to see this become a widely used method to retrieve Coins and TBs that are suspected to be missing. With how many of these things go missing it would clog up the forums.

 

Besides, it's possible that the folks that you'd name might not have done anything wrong (besides failing to log it into an Event Cache properly), and they no longer have your Coin because someone else has it after it was passed along like you would have wanted it to be. If this is the case then it's someone else entirely that has stolen the Coin. I'd hate to see you call out someone that is innocent of the theft because their spam filters are keeping your emails from getting to them.

 

So there's two reasons it wouldn't be wise to try and shame someone publicly in these forums.

[+Chrysalides]

For months now I have repeatedly tried to contact two cachers who are listed as retrieving my coins, but no answer from ether as of yet.

It's possible their spam filter intercepted your e-mail, or they may have missed your e-mail somehow. Just trying to give them the benefit of the doubt since they did log it as retrieved. If they intended to steal it, they could simply have not logged it.

 

I think tequila has the best solution. Good luck with getting your coins back.

[+lcandela123]

I would take the high road, and politely ask them what's up.

 

I've noticed some cachers hold on to my bugs for a loooong time, and then they turn up in an amazing place! So, my guess is that they were waiting for their vacation to relocate the bugs.

 

I took a bunch of bugs with me to Ireland, and now they are moving all over Europe.

[+The Blorenges]

 

...Of course, we can also do that by walking through your profile.

 

...which is what I just did.

 

The Cache Critters coin was picked up by a cacher who last found a cache in August and hasn't logged onto the site since September. It sounds as though they may have lost interest in caching for now, or maybe 'real life' has intervened.

 

The Kansas Sunshine micro was picked up by a very new cacher who did a total of 5 caches back in May and hasn't logged onto the site since then. Doesn't seem very hopeful, does it?

 

You can't do more than you have already done, i.e. you have tried email contact several times without success.

 

Sometimes it's worth looking to see whether they've visited caches along with another caching team, or maybe they mentioned in an early log the name of the team who introduced them to geocaching - In those cases you could try an email to the other party to enquire whether they're still in touch with the cacher.

 

I think the naming and shaming should be avoided, but I sympathise with your frustration at getting no response at all. Even "I'm sorry - I've lost it" would be better than nothing.

 

MrsB

[+Rockin Roddy]

I would take the high road, and politely ask them what's up.

 

I've noticed some cachers hold on to my bugs for a loooong time, and then they turn up in an amazing place! So, my guess is that they were waiting for their vacation to relocate the bugs.

 

I took a bunch of bugs with me to Ireland, and now they are moving all over Europe.

 

I'd agree with this save the fact the OP has stated he's tried more than once to contact these two and hasn't heard a pep back! If I'm holding onto someone's coin or bug, I'm going to email and make sure it's OK!

[Keystone]

I am moving this thread from the Geocaching Topics forum to the Geocoin Discussions forum.

[+Jackalgirl]

Naming and shaming should be avoided -- I'm pretty sure that it violates the forum guidelines, and some people may be tempted to name & shame prematurely.

 

Now, if it's been a long, long time (I'm thinking more than 8 months -- or even a year) and the cacher is non-responsive, what you could do is change the geocoin page so that it say something like "MISSING!" in big red letters. Eventually, you may want to consider changing it to "STOLEN!", especially if you don't get any response from the cacher and are regularly trying.

 

However, remember this: I think it's uncommon for people to steal coins and then actually log them out of a cache into their possession. I have seen at least one case of a person who did exactly that (a banned member who logged coins into an unpublished cache and was, essentially, bragging that he was a thief), but I'm still willing to bet that the person picked up the coin and then life intruded (or they're lazy, like me).

[+Team Catahoula]

Why not see if they have any TB's or coins out there. Then put them on your watch list. If any are in your area, grab them and hold them for ransom....yours for theirs! I'm having the same problem with one of our geocoins. So I'm watching. ( Still don't understand why everybody that geocaches just can't play fair. We're all in it together for the fun!)

[gridlox]

 

...Of course, we can also do that by walking through your profile.

 

...which is what I just did.

 

The Cache Critters coin was picked up by a cacher who last found a cache in August and hasn't logged onto the site since September. It sounds as though they may have lost interest in caching for now, or maybe 'real life' has intervened.

 

The Kansas Sunshine micro was picked up by a very new cacher who did a total of 5 caches back in May and hasn't logged onto the site since then. Doesn't seem very hopeful, does it?

 

Dunno? But, if they are no more active in geocaching than what is stated here, it's not very likely they are even a part of the Groundspeak Forum community. Calling them out here would be pretty much futile.

 

I'd just mark them AWOL and hope they show back up one day. (Both coins & cachers) I've had several TB's & Coins that haven't moved in months. Then one day they showed back up and have been regular movers. BUT, I've also had a couple that haven't shown back up at all.

 

Good Luck!

 

D-man

[+Rockin Roddy]

Why not see if they have any TB's or coins out there. Then put them on your watch list. If any are in your area, grab them and hold them for ransom....yours for theirs! I'm having the same problem with one of our geocoins. So I'm watching. ( Still don't understand why everybody that geocaches just can't play fair. We're all in it together for the fun!)

 

Ummmm....I wouldn't suggest this. Not a good idea, please do not do this!

[+Hobo2]

There are some great suggestions here, I may use some.

 

I believe it is wrong even if your not playing any longer to keep someone elses property that way, how could anyone do that. I tried repeatedly to offer the cost of mailing them back to me, but still no response. I'm thinking now both email addresses do not exist or they would have responded by now.

 

I guess coins now are just for collecting, that is until they permit some cheap wooden coins to be tracked, otherwise whats the point in getting one.

 

Thanks for the suggestions, when I do decide what to do I'll add it here.

[+Jackalgirl]

I guess coins now are just for collecting, that is until they permit some cheap wooden coins to be tracked, otherwise whats the point in getting one.

 

 

I've been thinking about this, and I don't think there's anything out there to stop someone from making wooden coins, or attaching tracking numbers to wooden nickels. Eartha would be the one to ask, but I'm betting that the same process as applies to metal coins (submitting a design, buying the tracking codes, etc) would apply to wooden (or plastic) coins too. Seems to have worked for ceramic coins, glass coins, and coins made out of coal! : )

[+Tschakko]

I think u have done everything possible....

 

There is a danger, that if u push them too far they will just log ur coins in a cache without putting them there for real...

 

That way they would be lost forever....

 

Every once in a while a long lost coin or TB surfaces again, so do not loose ur faith...

Edited December 30, 2008 by Tschakko

[+larry739]

Release more geocoins. That way your loss ratio goes way down. haha

[BlueDamsel]

Right now, I'm one of those geocachers who has some coins that I've had a bit too long. On my part, absolutely no intent to steal... I abhor that, and as a coin owner myself, would never stoop to doing it. These coins have been accurately tracked by me, and stand as shown on their geocaching.com page, and, I would not have taken them if I'd thought it was going to be this long before I could move them again.

 

But... sometimes stuff happens. After I picked up these coins, I got an opportunity to go to Japan for a couple of weeks. I took the coins with me, hoping to put them in a geocache there, but unfortunately there were none near the area I was staying. So they came back. After I got back, life kind of intruded for another couple of weeks as I tried to catch up to having been out of town, plus, daylight savings had gone off and standard time resumed (no more quickie after-work caching). Just when I was about to start caching again... gpsr somewhat craps out, then some heavy bad weather, Christmas with all the attendant social obligations, more bad weather, blah blah blah. Before you know it, it's two months later and I haven't found a place to leave these. I'm hoping to get out over New Year's Day or the following weekend if the roads and snow aren't too bad, but... you never know. It might take still yet a little while before I can get out to place them.

 

Winter around here sometimes just isn't conducive to caching. It just isn't.

 

In my opinion, before freaking out about the coins, it's best to just email the last person known to have them and ask what's up. And likewise, this thread has reminded me that maybe it's a good idea to visit the cache pages of the coins I have, to note for the owner's peace of mind that I still intend to move them.

 

I've learned there's only one big rule to remember about coins... if you intend to release them into the wild, don't get too attached to your ownership status. While most geocachers are honest and try to do the right thing, there are always going to be people out there who steal, or just don't care what happens to your property. If I've got a coin I just don't want to live without, I don't release it, or I buy two duplicates so I can release one, and keep the other in my collection.

 

Then I can relax and just let what happens, happen.

 

My two cents

BlueDamsel

[+Papa EGTH]

I've learned there's only one big rule to remember about coins... if you intend to release them into the wild, don't get too attached to your ownership status. While most geocachers are honest and try to do the right thing, there are always going to be people out there who steal, or just don't care what happens to your property. If I've got a coin I just don't want to live without, I don't release it, or I buy two duplicates so I can release one, and keep the other in my collection.

What a good Geocoin philosophy - I second that!

 

I like to think that most missing travelers are due to Muggling than to Magpies.

[+Lemon Fresh Dog]

Life is short.

 

So I tend to just let it ride. I'll send the occasional e-mail asking what's up and sometimes hear back, sometimes don't.

 

I've had folks keep coins, travel with coins and never actually let them go, etc.

 

I tend to think of my released coins as being like little salmon (fish). You release many of them and most get lost to thieves, muggles, bulldozers and mudslides (well.... obviously fish don't, but coins do!).

 

Take joy in the ones that "make it".

 

I have two original Geobones that have thousands of miles and still seem to get logged (although I think one has been "tag switched" from a recent photo ) - my favourite is my Travel Bug "Ribbity" - check it out if you get a chance! It's completed it's mission and will (hopefully) make it home one day.