In The News

[+stinger18]

Here's the link to a news report from tonight's local news

 

http://www.bclocalnews.com/news/42699497.html

[+TomToad]

At least it didn't get blown up this time.

I think this is the way suspicious packages should be treated. Check to see if it's an explosive, get in contact with possible witnesses, don't just assume it's a bomb.

[+anakerose]

Well I never thought it would happen in Kelowna, BC, but we had our first geocache related bomb scare today.

GC13809 "It's All About the Trade"

www.castanet.net article

 

My friend Ryan (nickelgames) was the person that was seen putting the cache back. Apparently someone saw him and thought it was drug related. They got his license plate number and the RCMP was waiting for him at home. Poor guy! But it's all good, the RCMP know what it is now.

[+plumbrokeacres]

Well I never thought it would happen in Kelowna, BC, but we had our first geocache related bomb scare today.

GC13809 "It's All About the Trade"

www.castanet.net article

 

My friend Ryan (nickelgames) was the person that was seen putting the cache back. Apparently someone saw him and thought it was drug related. They got his license plate number and the RCMP was waiting for him at home. Poor guy! But it's all good, the RCMP know what it is now.

 

Yikes! at least they didn't blow it up they seemed to find some humor in it. I've had encounters with law enforcement a couple times flashlight in the bush middle of the night seems to get their interest........

[+Knight2000]

I am sick of media drivel...

[+va griz]

To quote Sergeant Woodcox:

 

maybe educate him that he might want to contact us first so we don't have to block off an area

 

Maybe all the local geocachers should take him up on that and call the police every time they hunt a cache. It's the only way to be safe.

[GOF and Bacall]

Hmm. Only three replies, four with mine. Is everyone wrapped up in other, more heated threads? Or have we become this used to the idea of our little hobby closing down roads while the local gendarme try to figure out what that cammo tape covered tube is?

 

Seems like the response was a bit more level headed this time that many others have been. My fear when police respond to these caches that are mistaken for bombs is that someone makes a mistake with their equipment and gets injured or worse. If they crash a cruiser on the way to the scene it is going to go badly for the CO and geocaching gets bad press, possibly banned in some over reacting city. If someone decides they want to detonate a cache in place and blows their hand off it will make national news. I know they use robots but not all caches can be accessed by robot.

[Mag Magician]

That would be GC13809. Looks like the CO has it back, and replaced it.

[knowschad]

It's all about the Trade

 

Those danged reporters, though... things like these make me suspicious of all stories the give us:

 

"A man who tried to drop off a clue in a treasure hunt"

"Inside were notes with clues on them and a pencil."

 

Also got a kick out of this statement by the police:

 

“We’re still trying to speak to the male who dropped this off and maybe educate him that he may want to talk to us before doing this so we don’t have to block off an area for an extended period of time and inconvenience the public,”

Edited April 9, 2009 by knowschad

[+Psycada]

They found out what it was and that it was legit, but decided that this person is not allowed to play a public game in a public park. Nice. Thanks for protecting us from ourselves.

 

"Woodcox said police would not be leaving the object found by the Parkinson Rec sports fields in place for the game to continue."

[knowschad]

They found out what it was and that it was legit, but decided that this person is not allowed to play a public game in a public park. Nice. Thanks for protecting us from ourselves.

 

"Woodcox said police would not be leaving the object found by the Parkinson Rec sports fields in place for the game to continue."

 

Not at all true. Take a look at the more recent log entries by the CO:

 

Yup the RCMP have the cache, I have talked to them, and (so far anyway) no problem. I will be speaking with the officer later today and will post the results later.

 

I had a meeting with the RCMP, and they among smiles and jokes, gave me back the cache container, all the contents intact, and said "sure go ahead and put it back", so I did.

Now getting all those trucks into this park at 5pm rush hour was realy somthing newsworthy...

 

I tip my hat to the RCMP for handling this so well.

[+mtn-man]

I thought it was sort of funny on the video that the dog had to be pointed to the area, gave it a millisecond sniff and then moved on quickly (probably smelled a rabbit in the other direction).

[knowschad]

Hmm. Only three replies, four with mine. Is everyone wrapped up in other, more heated threads?

 

It is also being discussed here

[+va griz]

A lot of times you hear advice to only use clear containers so the police will see there are no explosives. Interesting that this time the fact that it was camo seemed to lead them to believe it was drugs instead of a bomb. Then again, maybe it's all dependent on the report from the first witness.

[+zoltig]

They found out what it was and that it was legit, but decided that this person is not allowed to play a public game in a public park. Nice. Thanks for protecting us from ourselves.

 

"Woodcox said police would not be leaving the object found by the Parkinson Rec sports fields in place for the game to continue."

 

Not at all true. Take a look at the more recent log entries by the CO:

 

Yup the RCMP have the cache, I have talked to them, and (so far anyway) no problem. I will be speaking with the officer later today and will post the results later.

 

I had a meeting with the RCMP, and they among smiles and jokes, gave me back the cache container, all the contents intact, and said "sure go ahead and put it back", so I did.

Now getting all those trucks into this park at 5pm rush hour was realy somthing newsworthy...

 

I tip my hat to the RCMP for handling this so well.

 

...Yeah and it gave Traxx something to do as well.

I am sure he was laying around getting bored when the call came in.

[+Viajero Perdido]

I've noticed these stories never show up in the Geocaching In The News section of Groundspeak's weekly emails.

 

Bummer. These stories are more "news" than all those Sunday-supplement feature stories about intro-to-geocaching.

[+Renegade Knight]

A lot of times you hear advice to only use clear containers so the police will see there are no explosives. Interesting that this time the fact that it was camo seemed to lead them to believe it was drugs instead of a bomb. Then again, maybe it's all dependent on the report from the first witness.

 

It does very. I had an ammo can turned in for suspected drugs. A local gave me a heads up and I got in touch with the responding officer and they said. "We found it, no drugs, no problem, have fun" (in so many words) and that was that.

 

Who knows 5' over and maybe they would have decided it was bomb, and 10' over DB Coopers long lost stash.

[+mtn-man]

I merged the two active topics together and closed the third.

[+Maya Bee]

I know there are a few Kelowna RCMP employees who are geocachers, surprised they didn't clue in to this faster. Luckily, no one was tasered. Otherwise we'd have to add lock 'n locks to staplers and box cutters as lethal weapons.

[BC Backpacker]

http://www.castanet.net/edition/news-story-46213--.htm#46213

[+SkellyCA]

This part cracks me up...

 

he might want to contact us first so we don't have to block off an area," says Sergeant, Greg Woodcox.

 

[BC Backpacker]

Is this how much our culture is based on fear? We freak out to the point of calling the bomb squad because someone is seen playing a treasure hunt game.

 

And yes if they want a call from this guy when he places a cache do they want a call from everyone who places a cache?? Thats quite a bit of calls...

[golfgunny]

Is this how much our culture is based on fear? We freak out to the point of calling the bomb squad because someone is seen playing a treasure hunt game.

 

And yes if they want a call from this guy when he places a cache do they want a call from everyone who places a cache?? Thats quite a bit of calls...

 

If they can't follow the guidelines, or exercise a bit of common sense, then yes, perhaps they should go ahead and call their inappropriate cache in to the bomb squad ahead of time; it will save time and money.

 

It might go something like this: "Hello, bombsquad? I'm going to hide a package under a bridge today, but it's part of a game. It's outside of the guidelines of the game, and a bit foolish, so I thought I'd let you know. Toodles."

[+WatchDog2020]

You would think that the police would get the coords. and 'reverse search' it to the cache page. Create an account and at least leave a Needs maintenance log. LOL

 

Edit: Looks like the Bridge was a walk over at a park,

Edited April 10, 2009 by WatchDog2020

[Keystone]

I merged together two threads. Only one thread per bomb scare, folks! I think we're up to five on this one.

[+Castle Mischief]

Is this how much our culture is based on fear? We freak out to the point of calling the bomb squad because someone is seen playing a treasure hunt game.

 

And yes if they want a call from this guy when he places a cache do they want a call from everyone who places a cache?? Thats quite a bit of calls...

 

If they can't follow the guidelines, or exercise a bit of common sense, then yes, perhaps they should go ahead and call their inappropriate cache in to the bomb squad ahead of time; it will save time and money.

 

It might go something like this: "Hello, bombsquad? I'm going to hide a package under a bridge today, but it's part of a game. It's outside of the guidelines of the game, and a bit foolish, so I thought I'd let you know. Toodles."

 

I don't think this is the kind of bridge they had in mind in the guidelines.

 

Caches near, on or under public structures deemed potential or possible targets for terrorist attacks. These may include but are not limited to highway bridges, dams, government buildings, elementary and secondary schools, and airports.

 

This is more of a footpath bridge and hardly of interest to major terrorist organizations.

Edited April 10, 2009 by Castle Mischief

[+Diemanca]

Is it a good idea to include your immediate contact info, such as cell phone number, on the cache container? That way the authorities can get in touch with you and "defuse" the situation.

[Keystone]

I don't think this is the kind of bridge they had in mind in the guidelines.

Indeed. I'd publish a cache in the setting of that photo in a heartbeat, assuming there wasn't a park permission policy, cache saturation issue, etc.

This is more of a footpath bridge and hardly of interest to major terrorist organizations.

Perhaps it was of interest to a minor terrorist organization. "The People's Liberation Front Junior Varsity" or something.

[Andronicus]

 

Caches near, on or under public structures deemed potential or possible targets for terrorist attacks. These may include but are not limited to highway bridges, dams, government buildings, elementary and secondary schools, and airports.

 

This is more of a footpath bridge and hardly of interest to major terrorist organizations.

 

There isn't even a path worn into the grass leading upto this bridge. This story is probably the most this bridge has been used in years.

 

Question: Was the container marked? I have a ammo can in the city with a lable, wonder if that is a risk of becoming a bomb threat?