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Reported pipe bomb later identified as Geocache prop


wkhaz

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Well, from the picture I can see why someone might think it was a pipe bomb! And hidden at a dam too! :)

"Terra" on the outside, maybe it was a TerraCache, and not affiliated with htis site, but still ....!

 

If people keep up with the bonehead hides, they will have to bring back virtuals, because we won't be able to hide anything!

 

BC

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That was a terracache, in all likelihood. (The word "terra" was on the container, and the letters "CC" are visible in the photo, which at Terracaching mean "confirmation code.") The listing guidelines at Geocaching.com include caches at or near dams on the list of "off limits" locations. This news article illustrates why. Of course, there's some judgment involved in deciding what's "near" a dam. At the location discussed in the article, the nearest geocache is about 1000 feet from the dam, apparently in a park, and located 50 feet from a parking lot. That sounds like a cache I would have published after checking for compliance with the guidelines.

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Well, from the picture I can see why someone might think it was a pipe bomb! And hidden at a dam too! :D

"Terra" on the outside, maybe it was a TerraCache, and not affiliated with htis site, but still ....!

 

If people keep up with the bonehead hides, they will have to bring back virtuals, because we won't be able to hide anything!

 

BC

That was a terracache, in all likelihood. (The word "terra" was on the container, and the letters "CC" are visible in the photo, which at Terracaching mean "confirmation code.") The listing guidelines at Geocaching.com include caches at or near dams on the list of "off limits" locations. This news article illustrates why. Of course, there's some judgment involved in deciding what's "near" a dam. At the location discussed in the article, the nearest geocache is about 1000 feet from the dam, apparently in a park, and located 50 feet from a parking lot. That sounds like a cache I would have published after checking for compliance with the guidelines.

The container looks very weathered and only 4 people had logged it. It was definitely a Terracache. :) Edited by Trinity's Crew
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The container looks very weathered and only 4 people had logged it. It was definitely a Terracache. :)

 

It wasn't under a lampskirt. So you are right...it probably was a terra cache.

 

Also in the picture, is a Canadian $2 bill. A collector's item. They haven't been produced in over 10 years.

Edited by Tequila
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Also in the picture, is a Canadian $2 bill. A collector's item. They haven't been produced in over 10 years.

 

Yeah, and I can't stand those toonies. :)

 

This has probably already been archived. The only Terracache in Greenwood, S.C. has never been found (placed 3 months ago). The cache in question would disappear from Terracaching.com Google Maps if it were quickly archived after the incident.

 

Edit to fix broken quotes. Who did that?

Edited by TheWhiteUrkel
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The container looks very weathered and only 4 people had logged it. It was definitely a Terracache. :D

It wasn't under a lampskirt. So you are right...it probably was a terra cache.

Also in the picture, is a Canadian $2 bill. A collector's item. They haven't been produced in over 10 years.

There are (9) LPCs listed on TC and untold thousands listed here. That makes the percentage about the same... :)

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The container looks very weathered and only 4 people had logged it. It was definitely a Terracache. :)

It wasn't under a lampskirt. So you are right...it probably was a terra cache.

Also in the picture, is a Canadian $2 bill. A collector's item. They haven't been produced in over 10 years.

There are (9) LPCs listed on TC

 

Where are they? So I can vote them into archival. :D

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That was a terracache, in all likelihood. (The word "terra" was on the container, and the letters "CC" are visible in the photo, which at Terracaching mean "confirmation code.") The listing guidelines at Geocaching.com include caches at or near dams on the list of "off limits" locations. This news article illustrates why. Of course, there's some judgment involved in deciding what's "near" a dam. At the location discussed in the article, the nearest geocache is about 1000 feet from the dam, apparently in a park, and located 50 feet from a parking lot. That sounds like a cache I would have published after checking for compliance with the guidelines.

 

Only works if the cacher actually reads or knows the guidelines and that the reviewer follows it. We have a few cachers around here that do not know the guidelines. There was a cache placed in a guardrail right next to some railroad tracks and the reviewer published it. Of course, if you just glanced at the map, you can see that the tracks kinda blend with the road on a further out zoom.

Anywho I think that a few cachers from every area should get together and talk to their local and state police along with fire departments to let the know what geocaching is. Maybe even help them when a container is discovered. It really helps also that the container is clearly marked that it is infact a geocache. I think we as a cache community need to work with our towns to make caches be known that is what they are so unnecessary measures do not need to be taken.

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Also in the picture, is a Canadian $2 bill. A collector's item. They haven't been produced in over 10 years.

 

The article says it was Brazilian money. :)

 

It was Canadian. 1986_2f.jpg

 

Maybe the first to find neglected to take the Brazilian prize. From the Terracache page: "The FF prize is a Brazilian 100 C Note! "

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What's in the picture may very well be Canadian, eh, but the cache page says, "The FF prize is a Brazilian 100 C Note!" The police said they found Brazilian money. I'm pretty sure, even in South Carolina, the police know Brazilian is not spelled C-A-N-A-D-A. No doubt there was both.

 

The cache location.

 

Yep, it's been archived.

Edited by CoyoteRed
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Glad to see we haven't lost sight of what is important in this story.

 

OK then, Grumpy. Here's the "archive note" that appears on the TC page:

 

This cache has been archived. My humble apologies to the terracaching and law enforcement community. This cache was listed on Geocaching, Navicache, and then Terracaching. I have not visited this site and checked my caches in awhile. I am actually an advocate against this sort of container and should have followed up more carefully.

 

Despite this statement, I'm pretty sure it was never listed here. But I did find the old Navicache listing

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Perhaps it is going to happen no matter what but our choices in container and location can limit the occurrences. A pipe stashed near a dam is a poor choice in both. While I can understand the growing apathy for the subject it is my opinion that we can't stress enough the care that should be taken in making those choices. When we have such an occurrence we should take a look at it and understand what happened and what could have been done different.

 

That said, does anyone really think that the responders were incapable of telling the difference between "Canada" and "Brazil"? :)

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Glad to see we haven't lost sight of what is important in this story.

 

OK then, Grumpy. Here's the "archive note" that appears on the TC page:

 

This cache has been archived. My humble apologies to the terracaching and law enforcement community. This cache was listed on Geocaching, Navicache, and then Terracaching. I have not visited this site and checked my caches in awhile. I am actually an advocate against this sort of container and should have followed up more carefully.

 

Despite this statement, I'm pretty sure it was never listed here. But I did find the old Navicache listing

 

The cache WAS listed on GC.com -- Ware Shoals (GC17EK2) -- and was archived about a year ago.

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Glad to see we haven't lost sight of what is important in this story.

That a cache that wouldn't likely be published on this site was mistaken for a possible bomb? :)

 

Do you think that those responders or those that manage that dam or the park are going to care if it says Teracache, Navicache, or Geocache on the side of it? To them it is all the same. "Ban 'em all and let God sort 'em out!"

 

I'm fully aware that the effect we can have from this forum is limited but every little bit helps.

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Glad to see we haven't lost sight of what is important in this story.

That a cache that wouldn't likely be published on this site was mistaken for a possible bomb? :)

 

Do you think that those responders or those that manage that dam or the park are going to care if it says Teracache, Navicache, or Geocache on the side of it? To them it is all the same. "Ban 'em all and let God sort 'em out!"

 

I'm fully aware that the effect we can have from this forum is limited but every little bit helps.

Well, as it turns out it WAS listed on this site, but maybe it wouldn't pass the sniff test anymore.

 

Having said THAT... I agree that we need to use some common sense when we place caches. I'm just not sure how we're supposed to control caches listed on other sites.

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Perhaps it is going to happen no matter what but our choices in container and location can limit the occurrences. A pipe stashed near a dam is a poor choice in both. While I can understand the growing apathy for the subject it is my opinion that we can't stress enough the care that should be taken in making those choices. When we have such an occurrence we should take a look at it and understand what happened and what could have been done different.

 

I agree, care can and SHOULD be taken in cache container type and location to minimize the occurrences mentioned in the OP.

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Glad to see we haven't lost sight of what is important in this story.

 

OK then, Grumpy. Here's the "archive note" that appears on the TC page:

 

This cache has been archived. My humble apologies to the terracaching and law enforcement community. This cache was listed on Geocaching, Navicache, and then Terracaching. I have not visited this site and checked my caches in awhile. I am actually an advocate against this sort of container and should have followed up more carefully.

 

Despite this statement, I'm pretty sure it was never listed here. But I did find the old Navicache listing

 

The cache WAS listed on GC.com -- Ware Shoals (GC17EK2) -- and was archived about a year ago.

 

Ah yes, the sock puppet placement name threw me for a loop. Not the same username on Terracaching or Navicaching. I see a few locals know about it, and have posted notes to the Geocaching.com cache page.

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Perhaps it is going to happen no matter what but our choices in container and location can limit the occurrences. A pipe stashed near a dam is a poor choice in both. While I can understand the growing apathy for the subject it is my opinion that we can't stress enough the care that should be taken in making those choices. When we have such an occurrence we should take a look at it and understand what happened and what could have been done different.

 

I agree, care can and SHOULD be taken in cache container type and location to minimize the occurrences mentioned in the OP.

 

Most people who use the other sites also use this one. Doesn't mean they use these forums though, most cachers don't. Just do what you can. Share these ideas with people you know. Do what you can where you can.

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Well, as it turns out it WAS listed on this site, but maybe it wouldn't pass the sniff test anymore.

 

Having said THAT... I agree that we need to use some common sense when we place caches. I'm just not sure how we're supposed to control caches listed on other sites.

 

This is from an archived reviewer note on the cache page:

 

Permission for cache placement was obtained from County Councilman [...] who may be reached through his geocaching account.

 

So yea, it probably would still be approved. We can only go by what cachers tell us.

Edited by OpinioNate
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I find the contrast between the universal condemnation of the container so far in this thread and the comments by the finders on the cache page interesting:

 

Found while geocaching with friends, container is homemade and quite cool!

 

We were inpressed with the container. Was in homemade?

Based on the rest of one of those quotes I'm not sure it was the same container.

Sarah found this one.

Even though it is a micro we left a Brazilian 100 Real note. When I picked it up $1US would buy 7000; 6 months later $1US would but 47,000.

We were inpressed with the container. Was in homemade?

Regards

The picture of the cache in the story was bigger than a micro, but it WAS listed here as a "small" cache so who knows? It may be the same container.

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Okay, so we now know the cache had been listed here, by a respected reviewer, and with permission. The owner had said elsewhere that he no longer approves of the type of container he originally used, but neglected to swap it out. So, the placement was okay, but the container questionable (both practically and politically), yet the container was still destroyed.

 

Lesson learned: LEOs are still unfamiliar with the hobby. They will associate cylindrical objects with pipe bombs. Once called in, a suspicious package will still likely be destroyed. Don't simply put "TERRA" on your cache--use a full sticker or stencil. Pick up your archived caches. Your cache, not matter how well you hide it, may be found by a muggle.

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Anywho I think that a few cachers from every area should get together and talk to their local and state police along with fire departments to let the know what geocaching is. Maybe even help them when a container is discovered.

I think we as a cache community need to work with our towns to make caches be known that is what they are so unnecessary measures do not need to be taken.

 

 

I really this is a great idea that I brought up before somewhere on the forums.

I'd be willing to be a local representative to the police around here. I think it would be very good for the survival of our game.

We have local representatives to some of the local large park systems here, so why not the police? I think it would be great for them to have someone to call if they think something is or isn't a cache. And a local would be ideal because you'd want someone who had found it who could positively identify it for them.

What do you think moderators? How would we get something like this started? How could someone be an "official" rep to the police?

SS

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Anywho I think that a few cachers from every area should get together and talk to their local and state police along with fire departments to let the know what geocaching is. Maybe even help them when a container is discovered.

I think we as a cache community need to work with our towns to make caches be known that is what they are so unnecessary measures do not need to be taken.

 

 

I really this is a great idea that I brought up before somewhere on the forums.

I'd be willing to be a local representative to the police around here. I think it would be very good for the survival of our game.

We have local representatives to some of the local large park systems here, so why not the police? I think it would be great for them to have someone to call if they think something is or isn't a cache. And a local would be ideal because you'd want someone who had found it who could positively identify it for them.

What do you think moderators? How would we get something like this started? How could someone be an "official" rep to the police?

SS

 

That's been coming up a lot around here lately, and I think it's never going to work, or never going to happen. There are LEO's here in these forums. The guy with the Cartman Avatar for example. :) And just a month or two ago, a Green Bay Wisconsin Firefighter who is an active geocacher couldn't stop a cache from being blown up, even though he was there on the scene!

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Well, as it turns out it WAS listed on this site, but maybe it wouldn't pass the sniff test anymore.

 

Unfortunately stuff gets listed on this site all the time that shouldn't.

The only way for us to remedy this is for us all to keep a look out for such things and report them to the reviewers when we think a mistake has been made.

 

a few have been archived recently: one was in the middle of the intersection on an island the guy was defending to the death. I mentioned to him that my GPS is often 85 feet off and there needs to be an 85 foot radius of safety around a cache to be safe. He deleted my message. Someone else got it archived.

 

I don't know what training the reviewers go through, and I wonder if they let though stuff for their "buddies" sometimes.

 

on another thought, I just called the police in the town where I live and told them I would be a liason for geocachers. They're going to get back to me on it. I'll put together a class for them if they want. I'm good at that sort of thing. It would be fun. I guess someone has to pick up a ball and run with it here.

SS

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You can appoint yourself unofficial anything you want. I highly doubt GS is going to make it official. "If any part of your teem should be captured we will disavow any knowledge of your existence."

 

Thank you for that support!

I have to say, your avatar is one of my favorites, and I do appreciate how often your replies make me laugh!!! :)

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Well, as it turns out it WAS listed on this site, but maybe it wouldn't pass the sniff test anymore.

 

Unfortunately stuff gets listed on this site all the time that shouldn't.

The only way for us to remedy this is for us all to keep a look out for such things and report them to the reviewers when we think a mistake has been made.

 

a few have been archived recently: one was in the middle of the intersection on an island the guy was defending to the death. I mentioned to him that my GPS is often 85 feet off and there needs to be an 85 foot radius of safety around a cache to be safe. He deleted my message. Someone else got it archived.

 

I don't know what training the reviewers go through, and I wonder if they let though stuff for their "buddies" sometimes.

 

on another thought, I just called the police in the town where I live and told them I would be a liason for geocachers. They're going to get back to me on it. I'll put together a class for them if they want. I'm good at that sort of thing. It would be fun. I guess someone has to pick up a ball and run with it here.

SS

 

If that cache was archived, and I have no reason to doubt you, I don't think it was for safety reasons. GS is not in the safety business.

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You can appoint yourself unofficial anything you want. I highly doubt GS is going to make it official. "If any part of your teem should be captured we will disavow any knowledge of your existence."

 

Thank you for that support!

I have to say, your avatar is one of my favorites, and I do appreciate how often your replies make me laugh!!! :)

 

Thanks. I stole it off the internet somewhere.

 

Keep in mind that the police and other responders have priorities and protocols to be looked after. While I think it is an admirable idea I don't know how effective it'll be. The bomb squads first job is to render harmless any device. The easiest way is to destroy it. Any mistakes could cost lives so you can't blame them for erring on the side of caution. The problems come into play when the higher ups decide that they need to hold someone responsible for perceived crimes.

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If that cache was archived, and I have no reason to doubt you, I don't think it was for safety reasons. GS is not in the safety business.

 

The cache was only archived after a cacher took up the isse with the reviewer. The cacher told the reviewer it was dangerous and they archived it after that.

If they had another reason I don't know about it, but evidently this cache owner has had 8 caches archived for similar reasons.

http://www.geocaching.com/seek/cache_detai...08-34e5527c3ed4

 

The cache owner is quite irrate (and was even before the cache was disabled). the reviewer lists the cache is archived until the owner can say who gave him permission to hide a cache in this location. Not that I know what good that will do if he comes up with a name. Buddies may be helping buddies.

 

So back to micro bashing. More fun indeed.

Found one this last week that I could not have reached myself. It was about 6 ft up on a phone pole. It was right next to a huge wooded area next to a creek that has tons of space for large caches, yet the cache owner chose instead to put a bullet sized micro on the phone pole next to the street. Why????

Oh, we're supposed to stay on topic aren't we? which topic?

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$2 brazilian Canadian dollars?! Who's the moneybags cacher there?

 

Hey!! There was a brief period a couple years ago where our dollar was worth more than yours. :)

 

For my first hide I placed a US $5 bill in it as a FTF prize. I also put in a Canadian $5 for second to find.

 

Lately I've been adding an Ethiopian 1 Birr note as swag into some of the cache I've found. I brought back about a dozen of them (along with a bunch of 5 santim coins, 5/100 of a birr) from Addis Ababa a few weeks ago. The 1 Birr bills are worth about 9 cents US but they make some unique and interesting swag.

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If that cache was archived, and I have no reason to doubt you, I don't think it was for safety reasons. GS is not in the safety business.

 

The cache was only archived after a cacher took up the isse with the reviewer. The cacher told the reviewer it was dangerous and they archived it after that.

If they had another reason I don't know about it, but evidently this cache owner has had 8 caches archived for similar reasons.

http://www.geocaching.com/seek/cache_detai...08-34e5527c3ed4

 

The cache owner is quite irrate (and was even before the cache was disabled). the reviewer lists the cache is archived until the owner can say who gave him permission to hide a cache in this location. Not that I know what good that will do if he comes up with a name. Buddies may be helping buddies.

 

So back to micro bashing. More fun indeed.

Found one this last week that I could not have reached myself. It was about 6 ft up on a phone pole. It was right next to a huge wooded area next to a creek that has tons of space for large caches, yet the cache owner chose instead to put a bullet sized micro on the phone pole next to the street. Why????

Oh, we're supposed to stay on topic aren't we? which topic?

 

Yeah, that is a permission issue. Kind of hard to prove adequate permission when you hide a cache on the road right of way. It did have undertones of safety issues and that is why it was brought to the reviewers attention but if not for the permission question it would still be there. Trust me, many caches are much more hazardous.

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Anywho I think that a few cachers from every area should get together and talk to their local and state police along with fire departments to let the know what geocaching is. Maybe even help them when a container is discovered.

I think we as a cache community need to work with our towns to make caches be known that is what they are so unnecessary measures do not need to be taken.

 

 

I really this is a great idea that I brought up before somewhere on the forums.

I'd be willing to be a local representative to the police around here. I think it would be very good for the survival of our game.

We have local representatives to some of the local large park systems here, so why not the police? I think it would be great for them to have someone to call if they think something is or isn't a cache. And a local would be ideal because you'd want someone who had found it who could positively identify it for them.

What do you think moderators? How would we get something like this started? How could someone be an "official" rep to the police?

SS

Those are not my words that you quoted. That's poor form to ascribe the quote to me when I did not say that.

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Put yourself in the cop or explosive ordinance tech mind for a moment.

 

Examine your hands and arms. Now hold them behind your back. Think about how your life would change if you lost them.

 

Now, somebody calls you and says "I think this container may be a bomb."

 

Doesn't matter what or where the container is, everything in your cautious nature, training and experience tells you to treat it like a bomb until it's proven to be something else. That's how you go home in one piece.

 

It has a big sticker on it that says it's a geocache. One of your buddies says "Hey, I think that must be the geocache I heard was hidden here."

 

Are you gonna call that yahoo that popped up a few months ago calling himself a "Police - Geocaching Coordinator"?

 

Are you gonna say "Nah, he said that ain't no bomb!" and pick it up? :)

 

The thing is, no matter what type of container or where, once it comes to this level of attention something's gonna get disrupted!

Edited by TheAlabamaRambler
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It really doesn't matter where the cache was listed. There are other caching sites and they can coexist without conflict.

 

Now I've had some conversation with a semi-newer reviewer here on GC.com cause I inquired about a couple of possibly permission since it seemed like trespassing was the only way to get to the cache.

 

What he/she told me they would keep an eye on them, but under guidelines, he never asked the owner if he gained permission due to "assumed prior permission" was gained.

 

One that really bugged me was one on a natural gas service thing. It was the inner liner of a bison tube with a magnet on it, painted green to match the natural gas pipes. Even the "campfires allowed" attribute was selected. There's a big sign on it that say's no trespassing and this can be a dangerous thing. But I was assured by the reviewer that "assumed permission" covered it but they would watch it.

 

Where I live our reviewer does a bang up job. He will ask if you forget to put a note who you got permission from. Yes that can be a pain but I'm glad he does it.

 

I'm not trying to attack a reviewer here, but that was what they told me when I questioned a couple of caches.

 

Really this can leave a black eye on all cache sites, regardless of where it was listed. I play on TC.com but for some different reason's. But I enjoy the game, not just a site. But I take my sponsorship duties very seriously. And if I see one that is causing a problem, I'll step over the owner and archive it on them, till the problem can be corrected.

 

Please don't spin this into well, this was a TC, not a GC. Again regardless of where it's listed a bad placement or bad choice of container can cause a problem, just because there's guidelines here, doesn't mean one can't slip threw. And I think this also serves as a reminder how important it is to get a full label on the outside of the container.

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Permission is assumed unless the reviewer is aware of a published geocaching policy, or if the location is on the list of "off limits" locations, like dams or schools.

 

That new reviewer studied well. Perhaps the newbie read my seminal essay about permission, which appears in modified form as part of the reviewer training manual. I commend it to you for late night reading.

Thank you Keystone for linking to that post. :D There was a couple of thing's I didn't know in that post. Thanks!!!

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