TB/GC Hoarders

[+airlys]

There is a user I ran across by way of tracking a TB I found (not that I own) --kimjpxman-- that hoards TBs and GCs. Is there anything we can do about it? I have e-mailed, but with no success. As of now, he has 33, and owns none (they are all someone elses). It also says he has only found 4 caches. He has been a member since Jan2007, so he's not new to it. I haven't met him personally and for all I know he could just be confused, but e-mail hasn't worked. Anyway, I was just wondering if there's anything we can do about it besides just e-mailing. It seems a pity that so many coins and TBs have been lost through one person. Thanks!

[Keystone]

I am moving this thread from the Geocaching Topics forum to the Perpetual Trackable Angst forum.

[+Crow-T-Robot]

There is a user I ran across by way of tracking a TB I found (not that I own) --kimjpxman-- that hoards TBs and GCs. Is there anything we can do about it? I have e-mailed, but with no success. As of now, he has 33, and owns none (they are all someone elses). It also says he has only found 4 caches. He has been a member since Jan2007, so he's not new to it. I haven't met him personally and for all I know he could just be confused, but e-mail hasn't worked. Anyway, I was just wondering if there's anything we can do about it besides just e-mailing. It seems a pity that so many coins and TBs have been lost through one person. Thanks!

 

There isn't much you can do besides to stop releasing coins/TB's into the wild, which isn't much fun for anyone or to keep moving these coins/TB's to remote/difficult caches, which still isn't much fun for most cachers. It's sad that we have to make a choice on what to release simply because the high probability that once it's released, it won't be out in the wild for very long. But, that's the reality. Personally, I'd rather keep my coins in my own collection rather than throw them away.

 

Bruce

[+LHollo777]

It is sad to see that we live in a world where someone could steal someone else's property so blatantly. It does look like he/she took a bunch of TBs, coins and perhaps the cache itself, a pity.

 

kimjpxman

Edited May 6, 2009 by LHollo777

[+airlys]

Thanks for the info. After searching through the forums I realized that the people at Groundspeak don't want to get involved much, which is a good thing. It is unfortunate that a few users can spoil it and I'm happy that we have a trackable token instead of a more expensive coin. Thank you to everyone who buys a coin and let's it go. They have more faith than I do! :-)

 

Anyway, I haven't posted much and have actually only been geocaching for a few months now (since Dec) but I have really enjoyed it. Most other people seem really nice and giving. Thanks for your help!

[+Frank Broughton]

It is sad to see that we live in a world where someone could steal someone else's property so blatantly. It does look like he/she took a bunch of TBs, coins and perhaps the cache itself, a pity.

 

kimjpxman

 

 

Everyone should sent him/her a message to please move the coins & TB's.

[+BlueDeuce]

It is sad to see that we live in a world where someone could steal someone else's property so blatantly. It does look like he/she took a bunch of TBs, coins and perhaps the cache itself, a pity.

 

kimjpxman

 

 

Everyone should sent him/her a message to please move the coins & TB's.

 

gc.com would consider that harassment and abuse of the email system. Don't get yourself banned because of this guy.

[+NrthrnLght]

we have a cacher in ne pa that takes every trackable he finds. he has about 30 trackables in only 16 or so finds. then he posts a log saying that they will be held until he wants them to be released. he has never released any.

i don't know why this is not a violation. shouldn't the account be banned?

[+BlueDeuce]

That would likely be a death sentence for the bugs.

[+NrthrnLght]

That would likely be a death sentence for the bugs.

 

i see your point but this person just keeps collecting. right now 30 but in a few months maybe they will have 100 or so trackables if its ignored.

[+BlueDeuce]

That would likely be a death sentence for the bugs.

 

i see your point but this person just keeps collecting. right now 30 but in a few months maybe they will have 100 or so trackables if its ignored.

 

I didn't say ignore it but I do know that sending a barrage of emails or shutting off their account is not a good solution.

 

You have to address it at a local level. You need to see if anyone knows them or can contact them. Perhaps someone knows what this person's beef is with trackables or perhaps some one can educate them about the handling of bugs. Getting the bugs back in circulation is the primary goal and beating on someone will not do it.

[+Jackalgirl]

Another option, perhaps, would be to contact the bug's owners and suggest that they contact this person and ask him/her to move their bugs. Then, after a decent period of time (say, 6-8 months), to edit their bugs' pages to add a line of big red text that says "STOLEN!"

 

Edited to add: the normal and protocol, it seems, is for a bug's owner to send a gentle message to someone after a couple of months (which is has been for at least one bug I saw, picked up in February), along the lines of "I realize you may not cache often, but I'd appreciate it you could get my bug in circulation again; let me know if you've stopped geocaching as I'd gladly pay postage for you to send the bug back to me." See if they get a response. If no response, and if the bug continues to sit in the cacher's collection, then editing the page is probably the only thing the owner, at least, can do.

Edited May 9, 2009 by Jackalgirl

[RITrailhikers]

I know, I e-mailed the person who has my son's TB twice and offered to pay postage, whatever he wanted to PLEASE re-release or send back to me. The TB had a medal my son won in Little League and wanted to visit all the LL parks around the US. This guy picked it up last year and never moved and won't respond to any e-mails. I just don't get why they grab them and then ignore any pleas to return them.

Makes me kind of mad!

 

 

Another option, perhaps, would be to contact the bug's owners and suggest that they contact this person and ask him/her to move their bugs. Then, after a decent period of time (say, 6-8 months), to edit their bugs' pages to add a line of big red text that says "STOLEN!"

 

Edited to add: the normal and protocol, it seems, is for a bug's owner to send a gentle message to someone after a couple of months (which is has been for at least one bug I saw, picked up in February), along the lines of "I realize you may not cache often, but I'd appreciate it you could get my bug in circulation again; let me know if you've stopped geocaching as I'd gladly pay postage for you to send the bug back to me." See if they get a response. If no response, and if the bug continues to sit in the cacher's collection, then editing the page is probably the only thing the owner, at least, can do.

[+leppard]

I have had a very precious TB taken and not returned but iti s unknown who took it. The cache has been archived. I spoke with the cache owner who checked the cache and said my bug is definitely not there (it is a uniform patch from the space shuttle Columbia. ) This is the third bug I have lost. There definitely needs to be a "verify cache day" so all of the bugs out that can potentially be located. I have personally visited three caches in the past month that said there were travel bugs and there were not (and no one "beat" me to them).

[+obxnomad]

It's one thing to lose a TB with something of no consequence attached to it, but why do people insist on placing "precious" items in jeopardy? If it's a keepsake, or something that represents a meaningful event in your life then don't allow it to be stolen. Find something else that will suffice and put it out there. Come on people.

Edited May 14, 2009 by obxnomad