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How to catch a cache maggot.


bittsen

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I don't suppose most cache maggots would sign the logbook before stealing the cache, but I suppose they might. In which case, here's the pen you should put in the cache for them to use <link> For only $229, you may as well. Consider it insurance.

 

That would be interesting for the online log:

 

"TFTC! SL Took: Cache Left: Nothing"

 

Or just "TFTC/SLTCLN"

Edited by mrbort
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I was just thinking...

 

Forget about camera's and trying to get a picture of the maggots. Lets just set up a snare trap!! Well sure you would catch a lot of innocent cachers, occasionally a small child, but heck with enough time you will eventually catch the maggot.

 

Or..

 

If you had a cache you didn't want stolen, why not just make in a member cache? I doubt the person taking them would pay for a membership.

 

Personally I am going to engrave ownership into any ammo cans I put out, with a message that says, if it is found any where else but the coords it was hidden at, to let me know.

 

I figure the maggots are either stealing the ammo cans because they want to hide something in it, and or they want to sell it to ppl who want to hide a cache in an ammo can.

 

Can't do that if its engraved.

 

Go to petsmart or a place that has those pet name tag engravings, Make one that has the coords of where you hid it, and the message, then pop rivit it to the contaner.

 

I suppose some one could drill it off, but then they are left with 2 holes and most likely a mucked up ammo can. One way to prevent this as well would be to drill a large hole the plate can cover, then use some marine sealant to make it water tight. That way if some one removed the plate they would have a quarter sized hole in the box.

 

 

The point...

 

Its probably a better idea to make an ammo can theft proof rather then trying to catch the maggot.

Edited by mchaos
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Congratulations, Batman, you've just identified your first cache maggot.

 

Now what?

 

Well I would hope that having black hands for a week would be enough punishment! I know when I got that stuff on my hands in college, it was a very horrible week for me! GF wouldn't let me touch her the entire time! LOL (She was afraid I would turn her black too!)

 

TGC

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Your sodium Nitrate idea, while clever and functional, would taint actual cachers as well and thats not good. I like the idea but some innocent cacher may not appreciate a week of black hands.

 

You make a very good point. Having had my hands turn black for a week many many years ago in college & the pains that caused me. I would not want to live through that experiance again. Even though the woman in my life now would probably still let me touch her... maybe.. LOL

 

You could always warn them on the cache page, assuming the maggot wasn't checking geocaching.com.... but they probably are. Who knows.

 

TGC

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The other thing you could do to be mean.... is... put about $10 worth of $1 bills in the cache. Lightly coat them with a fine SODIUM NITRATE powder.

 

When he comes to NAB the $1 bills, the moisture of his hands will disolve the Sodium Nitrate powder on his fingers. The sun light will then "Expose" the Sodium Nitrate solution, which will then turn his hands BLACK. This blackness CAN"T be washed off. His hands will be black for about a week. Less if he is a manual laborer.

 

You can get sodium nitrate powder from http://unitednuclear.com It isn't that expensive. All you need is about 1 teaspoons worth for $10 worth of $1 bills.

 

TGC

 

If you wanted to try this, I'd suggest using SILVER nitrate...

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Well I would hope that having black hands for a week would be enough punishment! I know when I got that stuff on my hands in college, it was a very horrible week for me! GF wouldn't let me touch her the entire time! LOL (She was afraid I would turn her black too!)

 

TGC

 

Not that there's anything wrong with that... :P

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If you wanted to try this, I'd suggest using SILVER nitrate...

 

I agree, totally. It has been known since medival times that SILVER nitrate will only turn the hands of a guilty party black. It works kind of like those old witch-dunking things and those big stake (sic) cook-outs they used to have over bon fires.

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I don't suppose most cache maggots would sign the logbook before stealing the cache, but I suppose they might. In which case, here's the pen you should put in the cache for them to use <link> For only $229, you may as well. Consider it insurance.

 

They're on sale right now for $149.

 

Of course, you could always just buy another five dollar ammo can.

 

Just a serius side note - I'm kind of a newby to the sport. Is this a real big problem?

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I don't suppose most cache maggots would sign the logbook before stealing the cache, but I suppose they might. In which case, here's the pen you should put in the cache for them to use <link> For only $229, you may as well. Consider it insurance.

 

They're on sale right now for $149.

 

Of course, you could always just buy another five dollar ammo can.

 

Just a serius side note - I'm kind of a newby to the sport. Is this a real big problem?

 

As far as I've been able to tell (I've been at it not so long either but have talked with a lot of people and read the forums quite a bit), it's sorta an isolated thing where someone will get it in his or her head to steal caches with either a published motive (Eco Avengers for Global Mediocrity or something akin to that) or just *poof* they're gone. There have been various discussions about how to combat these isolated incidents (generally more serious than this asinine one) but it's not a widespread, horrible epidemic :P

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...and once you catch your maggot?

 

Use the same policies that benefit them, to benefit you.

 

Could you translate that from innuendo to English?

The police don't enforce certain laws below a certain threshold. They also won't spend time to solve a crime below a certain level. When I had my window shot out by a bb gun one night, the entire police responce was "look they got the street light too, you can see the bb on the sidewalk, did you need a copy of the report for insurance?" Knowing this opens certain forms of small scale justice since the system doesn't care at this low of a level.

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The police don't enforce certain laws below a certain threshold. They also won't spend time to solve a crime below a certain level. When I had my window shot out by a bb gun one night, the entire police responce was "look they got the street light too, you can see the bb on the sidewalk, did you need a copy of the report for insurance?" Knowing this opens certain forms of small scale justice since the system doesn't care at this low of a level.

 

So, you are condoning a crime because the cops just won't get involved? Hardly seems to be in the same spirit of geocaching, IMO.

 

Edited to add:

 

Also, it seems to go against the basic tenet of Christianity of "Do unto others as you would have done unto you" or, as is my choice, the Law of Three in Pagan religion - "What you put forth, comes back to thee times three."

Edited by Riverwolf
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The police don't enforce certain laws below a certain threshold. They also won't spend time to solve a crime below a certain level. When I had my window shot out by a bb gun one night, the entire police responce was "look they got the street light too, you can see the bb on the sidewalk, did you need a copy of the report for insurance?" Knowing this opens certain forms of small scale justice since the system doesn't care at this low of a level.

 

So, you are condoning a crime because the cops just won't get involved? Hardly seems to be in the same spirit of geocaching, IMO.

 

Edited to add:

 

Also, it seems to go against the basic tenet of Christianity of "Do unto others as you would have done unto you" or, as is my choice, the Law of Three in Pagan religion - "What you put forth, comes back to thee times three."

 

Look again, I condoned Justice. Something overlooked at this low level by those we look to for it. In my way of thinking a simple something could be done that says "You have been caught, you may want to rethink your fun" would suffice. What you read into that is up to you. Personally I wish I was rich enough to force the system to work. but I'm not.

 

You also forgot another Christian tenant. You do not allow wrong things to happen on your watch when you can do something about it. I forget the exact wording.

Edited by Renegade Knight
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...and once you catch your maggot?

 

Use the same policies that benefit them, to benefit you.

 

Could you translate that from innuendo to English?

The police don't enforce certain laws below a certain threshold. They also won't spend time to solve a crime below a certain level. When I had my window shot out by a bb gun one night, the entire police responce was "look they got the street light too, you can see the bb on the sidewalk, did you need a copy of the report for insurance?" Knowing this opens certain forms of small scale justice since the system doesn't care at this low of a level.

 

I'm going to assume that you're just using your Internet Male voice and that you wouldn't actually condone or endorse acts of crime as retribution for the loss of a $5 ammo can and some dollar store trinkets.

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I'm going to assume that you're just using your Internet Male voice and that you wouldn't actually condone or endorse acts of crime as retribution for the loss of a $5 ammo can and some dollar store trinkets.

 

Oh, it's never about a $5 ammo can and a few trinkets. It's about the bigger picture.

 

Just like how it's not about tearing wings off flies but maybe an indicator of a larger underlying problem/issue.

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...I'm going to assume that you're just using your Internet Male voice and that you wouldn't actually condone or endorse acts of crime as retribution for the loss of a $5 ammo can and some dollar store trinkets.

 

See my post above for what I'm endorsing. It's worth noting that you have just shown the same attitude as the police. Yes it's a cheap cache. The lost of one is no big deal. If you recall the window shot out example I gave? In another town at the same time there was a spree. Dozens upon dozens of car windows were shot out. The police there responded in force to solve the problem. It made the news, there were speeches. The people in that town got justice. I got a police report for insurance for exactly the same problem. Each of us lost a car window so from where the individual stood it was the same.

 

A cache isn't any different. If one cache goes missing. No big deal. If the maggot takes hundreds of them and impacts and entire community and dozens of cachers. Maybe it is a big deal after all. Except that it should have been a big deal with the ill intent and the first cache.

 

I don't have answers because I've never had a chance to take it to the next level. We only suspect who our maggot is and our maggot (the suspect) has implied in this forum that they carry a gun and are willing to use it. It makes you stop and think about how they seem willing to kill (and perhaps die) for the right to steal your cache.

 

With firm proof of who this person is, I'd have no problem putting out a non subtle warning, to drive home the point that the game has reached the next level and they can't hide when they play it anymore.

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With firm proof of who this person is, I'd have no problem putting out a non subtle warning, to drive home the point that the game has reached the next level and they can't hide when they play it anymore.

 

You'd put out a non-subtle warning (something you implied would be on the lower-level of crime that the cache maggot or bb gun shooter is committing) to someone who is interfering with your game? To me that type of eye for an eye rhetoric is not only morally reprehensible but also damaging to the community and society. Vigilantism is often worse than the crimes it attempts to punish.

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...I'm going to assume that you're just using your Internet Male voice and that you wouldn't actually condone or endorse acts of crime as retribution for the loss of a $5 ammo can and some dollar store trinkets.

 

See my post above for what I'm endorsing. It's worth noting that you have just shown the same attitude as the police. Yes it's a cheap cache. The lost of one is no big deal. If you recall the window shot out example I gave? In another town at the same time there was a spree. Dozens upon dozens of car windows were shot out. The police there responded in force to solve the problem. It made the news, there were speeches. The people in that town got justice. I got a police report for insurance for exactly the same problem. Each of us lost a car window so from where the individual stood it was the same.

 

A cache isn't any different. If one cache goes missing. No big deal. If the maggot takes hundreds of them and impacts and entire community and dozens of cachers. Maybe it is a big deal after all. Except that it should have been a big deal with the ill intent and the first cache.

 

I don't have answers because I've never had a chance to take it to the next level. We only suspect who our maggot is and our maggot (the suspect) has implied in this forum that they carry a gun and are willing to use it. It makes you stop and think about how they seem willing to kill (and perhaps die) for the right to steal your cache.

 

With firm proof of who this person is, I'd have no problem putting out a non subtle warning, to drive home the point that the game has reached the next level and they can't hide when they play it anymore.

 

So you're going to push a gun-toting thief's buttons with lesser crimes as "punishment"? That's a great plan.

 

I'm not sure which of you is crazier.

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With firm proof of who this person is, I'd have no problem putting out a non subtle warning, to drive home the point that the game has reached the next level and they can't hide when they play it anymore.

 

You'd put out a non-subtle warning (something you implied would be on the lower-level of crime that the cache maggot or bb gun shooter is committing) to someone who is interfering with your game? To me that type of eye for an eye rhetoric is not only morally reprehensible but also damaging to the community and society. Vigilantism is often worse than the crimes it attempts to punish.

 

Clearly you have an active imagination and have envisioned all kinds of morally reprehensable things. Alas I have also seen where sweeping things under the carpet resulted in morally reprehensable things actually happening to perfectly good and innocent folks. All out of a fear to disuss it.

 

Are you the kind to sweep something folks need to know under the carpet lest they discuss something distasteful?

 

One thing that would do the job I mentioned is nothing more than a sticky note with the Gx symbol under their windshield wiper. Shooting out windows was a real event used as a story to illistrate a larger point. I used it because of the difference in responce based on the percieved "magnitude of the problem" when each person impacted had exactly the same problem. One window, shot out by a bb gun.

Edited by Renegade Knight
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With firm proof of who this person is, I'd have no problem putting out a non subtle warning, to drive home the point that the game has reached the next level and they can't hide when they play it anymore.

 

You'd put out a non-subtle warning (something you implied would be on the lower-level of crime that the cache maggot or bb gun shooter is committing) to someone who is interfering with your game? To me that type of eye for an eye rhetoric is not only morally reprehensible but also damaging to the community and society. Vigilantism is often worse than the crimes it attempts to punish.

 

Clearly you have an active imagination and have envisioned all kinds of morally reprehensable things. Alas I have also seen where sweeping things under the carpet resulted in morally reprehensable things actually happening to perfectly good and innocent folks. All out of a fear to disuss it.

 

Are you the kind to sweep something folks need to know under the carpet lest they discuss something distasteful?

 

One thing that would do the job I mentioned is nothing more than a sticky note with the Gx symbol under their windshield wiper. Shooting out windows was a real event used as a story to illistrate a larger point. I used it because of the difference in responce based on the percieved "magnitude of the problem" when each person impacted had exactly the same problem. One window, shot out by a bb gun.

 

I'm not afraid of discussing anything. I wasn't sweeping anything under the carpet; instead, I was responding to what I thought seemed like tacit advocacy of borderline criminal-level vigilantism. Now that I see a better explanation of the scope of the type of object lesson you were proposing, I'm much more okay with it. Also, to be fair, I missed in your earlier post the following that could have given me a better idea:

 

In my way of thinking a simple something could be done that says "You have been caught, you may want to rethink your fun"

 

My bad on that. I think I was never suggesting that it was wrong to discuss issues but that what it seemed you were condoning in that discussion was wrong. My addition of the bb gun example to cache thief was perhaps an incorrect addition (as you pointed out the bb gun person was an example of magnitude in numbers rather than an example of a small crime); the point was that I was under the impression that you would advocate retribution on the level of the action you would be avenging. To me that seemed wrong, especially when the initial action is borderline illegal.

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...So you're going to push a gun-toting thief's buttons with lesser crimes as "punishment"? ...

 

You don't need a lesser crime to call their bluff. However it's clear to me that society has certainly left an entire tool box of the danged things at our disposal. Heck I didn't even know we had the option until I actually tried working with the system to deal with our maggot problem.

 

Here in this thread we have folks saying "these lesser crimes are not worth the bother" while also saying it's morally corrupt to even talk about them as a tool for "vigilante vengance" becasue that's worse than the ethically bankrupt maggot causing the problem. Really?

 

Lets reverse the disucssion.

 

How do you stop a cache maggot who won't stop? Folks are actually saying. "You don't, and you shouldn't try". In essence agreeing with the behavior of cache maggotry in that they would not address it if there were no way to do it via the criminal justice system. Which for practical purposes there isn't.

 

This thread is interesting in that regard.

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Clearly you have an active imagination and have envisioned all kinds of morally reprehensable things.

 

Wanted to respond to this separately because I was thinking about it some more after rereading the discussion. The following caught my eye again and was the basis for my 'active imagination:'

 

The police don't enforce certain laws below a certain threshold. They also won't spend time to solve a crime below a certain level. When I had my window shot out by a bb gun one night, the entire police responce was "look they got the street light too, you can see the bb on the sidewalk, did you need a copy of the report for insurance?" Knowing this opens certain forms of small scale justice since the system doesn't care at this low of a level.

 

When you make the explicit statement that knowing that a certain crime or even morally wrong behavior falls below the threshold of what the police will enforce or investigate will open the door to other forms of small-scale justice, you are saying that the doors to the scale of justice that you advocate are normally closed. This generally would be due to morality/legality (I can't think of any other reason). The corollary to this would be: to open those doors would be to open the doors to do something generally illegal or immoral. That's why I thought that this is the type of behavior that you were supporting.

 

The door to the type of retribution/justice that you actually seem to be supporting (things like putting a post it with the GC# on the person's car) is already open. I'm sorta working through thinking about this as I write it but I guess for me the following seems more logical: rather than saying that it opens the door to other justice, one could say that it necessitates other measures, none of which are illegal or immoral.

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...To me that seemed wrong, especially when the initial action is borderline illegal.

 

The initial action is illegal. A cache is personal property, stealing it is against the law. That said, enforcing that law is virtually impossible. For a random muggled cache, oh well. When it becomes a problem impacting hundreds of caches and dozens of cachers that goes on for years, what then? That's where my community is.

 

Reading your post above (two above now...), we aren't too far apart in our thinking though we are perhaps standing in completely different spots in our caching worlds and what we deal with as we put our thinking into forum posts. At times I do get frustated and wouldn't mind smacking him with a tire iron (or at least taking some satisfaction in thinking about it). We may differ quite a bit in that regard.

Edited by Renegade Knight
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...So you're going to push a gun-toting thief's buttons with lesser crimes as "punishment"? ...

 

You don't need a lesser crime to call their bluff. However it's clear to me that society has certainly left an entire tool box of the danged things at our disposal. Heck I didn't even know we had the option until I actually tried working with the system to deal with our maggot problem.

 

Here in this thread we have folks saying "these lesser crimes are not worth the bother" while also saying it's morally corrupt to even talk about them as a tool for "vigilante vengance" becasue that's worse than the ethically bankrupt maggot causing the problem. Really?

 

Lets reverse the disucssion.

 

How do you stop a cache maggot who won't stop? Folks are actually saying. "You don't, and you shouldn't try". In essence agreeing with the behavior of cache maggotry in that they would not address it if there were no way to do it via the criminal justice system. Which for practical purposes there isn't.

 

This thread is interesting in that regard.

 

I don't believe I ever said that one shouldn't try to stop a cache thief. (I think I did say that I thought that sodium nitrate or an elaborate webcam would be poor ideas though) Also, I certainly didn't say that it's not okay to discuss vigilante vengance; heck, I was discussing it. What I was saying is that it's wrong to advocate illegal or immoral vigilantism.

 

I don't know what to do about a cache thief who won't stop. I suspect something like you were saying that in a legal way lets him or her know that they've been caught and it's time to stop. Just guessing but being 'outted' as the cache maggot would be enough incentive to stop and if it's not, then you might have a little more evidence that you could use to escalate things within existing constructs.

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The question of "what do you do after you catch the cache maggot?" is an interesting one that seems to be a main question at this point.

 

The following is satirical and in no way is to imply advocation of anything that may be included in the satirical post.

 

While contemplating the issue of cache maggotry, one can't help but see the irony in the stance of those discussing the maggotry.

On one side you will have those who advocate a "I'm content with being a victim and know it will stop if I don't become excited" and the other side who would like to hunt down the "villian" and accomplish some sort of justice.

While the former is a very passive and hopeful resolution to the issue, it is not solving any problem, merely ignoring it. On the other hand, the latter describes the common genetical response programmed into most of us. The argument could be made for the difference between animalistic instincts vs civilized behavior but that argument will get us nowhere, as illustrated in some of the posts above.

While there are no variables to be discussed on the "ignore it and it will go away" side, other than comparing the problem to a spreading cancer, there are many variables on the side of justice.

Let us concentrate on the side of justice since, the original point of this discussion IS, indeed, the catching of those who are cache maggots. The OP is a clear demonstration of the urge to pursue justice, isn't it agreed?

 

Now, when we know that the stealing, or molestation, of caches will not be punished even though it is likely illegal, one could assume that the retaliation justice for the cache maggotry could fall in line with the same thinking. What could you do to a cache maggot, that even though might be (arguably) illegal but not something that is likely to be prosecuted?

Of course you could confront them. It's not even remotely illegal to confront someone. What then?

Back in the day, if you wanted to "bother" someone, you would send them pizzas, with the bill due, of course. A minor annoyance, of course. You could also sign the person up for some "bill me later" marketing. I recall someone sending me subscriptions to some adult magazines. That was interesting until the bills for everything started to arrive. Yes, it's childish but it is annoying.

You could advertise the identity of the cache maggot to parties who might be of influence to the cache maggot. If it's a youth, contact parents. If it's an adult, find out where they work. Their employer might want to know he has a thief working for him. If he goes to church, contact the clergyman. Clergymen love an opportunity to help save a soul. If the cache maggot is married, let their spouse know that their "better half" is a maggot and being watched. Peer pressure can be a powerful motivator.

I will let the rest of the discussion fall to the others. I won't suggest anything that could be over the line like sugar in a gas tank, or air let out of tires or even staking out their house to make the maggot nervous. Those things would probably get me in trouble.

 

Again, the preceding was satirical and in no way intended to advocate anything other than a passive stance regarding cache maggots. Afterall, they can break the law and not get punished. We, as law abiding citizens, are destined to just be the victims.

Edited by bittsen
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I think we're overlooking the obvious fact that if one executes one's vigilante justice by remote controlled Corvette while dressed as a giant flying mammal that law enforcement will not only look the other way, but said vigilante will garner the complete cooperation of the commissioner of police.

 

Great Scott! You're absolutley right!

 

I wonder if it were possible to 'bait' the suspected maggot into taking a particular cache? I knew someone at work was constantly ripping off my lunch from a common fridge we shared. Sooooo....having a good idea who the suspect was I made what looked like their favorite big old fat burritos.....loaded up with some 'secret' ingredients. :P I really can't say what it was they ate, but it had already passed through a small domesticated animal.... :ph34r: It wasn't sweet revenge.....but they did do some serious hacking and spacking until they could get their mouth washed out! ;)

 

Just saying......sometimes you just give them what they want...with a little something extra for all their trouble. :o

Edited by LandStar
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Okay, so now we've switched from tongue-in-cheek innuendo for illegal acts against the accused cache maggot to actual descriptions of illegal harassment against the cache maggot.

 

That's a great plan. Give the guy, who you don't seem to have any proof of his "crimes", a ton of evidence to present to the cops to have you arrested. At the very least I see a restraining order in your future.

 

All because of this theoretical "hundreds of caches and dozens of cachers" that will be impacted by the future cache maggotry that may or may not happen.

 

I am of the opinion that you guys have lost perspective.

 

I think you're both two weeks away from spandex unitards and a bat-signal.

 

 

If it's a youth, contact parents.

 

And that's all you can do. Everything else you listed is irresponsible, illegal, and/or ill-advised.

Edited by Castle Mischief
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...All because of this theoretical "hundreds of caches and dozens of cachers" that have been impacted by the future cache maggot....

 

Corrected. Foir my direct experience.

 

May you never be so blessed.

 

One side effect he drew us locals together into a fairly cohesieve cache community.

 

His desire (I'm profiling him now) for our communitys adoration for his geocaching prowess and the yawns he got in return are what led to his life of maggotry. I think a reviewer was the last straw, but I only suspect that. If only he had been hugged more as a child.

Edited by Renegade Knight
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...All because of this theoretical "hundreds of caches and dozens of cachers" that have been impacted by the future cache maggot....

 

Corrected. Foir my direct experience.

 

One side effect he drew us locals together into a fairly cohesieve cache community lynch mob.

 

 

Corrected.

 

 

And just kidding!!!

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Okay, so now we've switched from tongue-in-cheek innuendo for illegal acts against the accused cache maggot to actual descriptions of illegal harassment against the cache maggot.

 

 

I think you didn't read the part of my statement that didn't condone such "justice". I was merely pointing out some comparable "possibly illegal, but not likely prosecuted" justice examples.

 

As I said, i do not condone such acts of justice. We are just supposed to take it and do nothing in return.

 

What would you do if a cache maggot was adamant in removing every cache you placed? What if they got as much fun out of removing caches as most cachers do hunting them legitimately? Some cachers have several thousand finds. Are you OK with a cache maggot stealing thousands of caches?

What would you do?

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Okay, so now we've switched from tongue-in-cheek innuendo for illegal acts against the accused cache maggot to actual descriptions of illegal harassment against the cache maggot.

 

 

I think you didn't read the part of my statement that didn't condone such "justice". I was merely pointing out some comparable "possibly illegal, but not likely prosecuted" justice examples.

 

As I said, i do not condone such acts of justice. We are just supposed to take it and do nothing in return.

 

What would you do if a cache maggot was adamant in removing every cache you placed? What if they got as much fun out of removing caches as most cachers do hunting them legitimately? Some cachers have several thousand finds. Are you OK with a cache maggot stealing thousands of caches?

What would you do?

 

Well personally, I would set up a sting. :mad::mad:

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The police don't enforce certain laws below a certain threshold.

We don't? Really? When a victim reports a crime, we don't measure the offense against any kind of scale to determine if we will respond. Were there any witnesses to your BB gun bandit? If so, were they able to identify any suspects? I ask this because you can't get forensic quality ballistic data from a BB, so proving who did it is dang near impossible unless someone saw it happen.

 

If I responded to your complaint, and you said "I came home and found my window shot by a BB", I would speak with your neighbors to see if I could develop any witnesses. Then I would ask you to keep your ear to the ground and give me a call if you hear anything. Quite often, neighbors will talk to each other when they won't talk to us. If we couldn't develop any leads, the case would be inactivated. However, if I responded to your complaint and you said, "I saw young Billy Batson shoot out my window with his BB gun", (or if I were able to determine that Billy did it through my investigation), then I can assure you the law would be enforced in accordance with your desires as the victim. You want Billy arrested? No problem. You want Billy lectured but not arrested? No problem.

 

Everything else you listed is irresponsible, illegal, and/or ill-advised.

I'm operating under the assumption that, in Bittsen's satirical example, proof of said maggotry existed.

If that were the case, none of the suggestions Bittsen made were even remotely illegal.

Telling an employer what their employee is doing is not a crime.

Telling a clergyman what their constituent is doing is not a crime.

Telling a wife what their spouse is doing is not a crime.

 

Whether it's irresponsible and/or ill-advised is a matter for debate.

 

Based on my own experience with cache maggots, they operate best when enshrined in obscurity.

Part of the thrill for them is acting within a community, without the knowledge of the community.

They get to gloat about how they are so much more clever than those folks whose caches he steals.

Once you remove their obscurity, the behavior will quite often stop dead in its tracks.

Personally, I love the GC logo sticky note under the windshield wiper idea. :mad:

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Everything else you listed is irresponsible, illegal, and/or ill-advised.

I'm operating under the assumption that, in Bittsen's satirical example, proof of said maggotry existed.

If that were the case, none of the suggestions Bittsen made were even remotely illegal.

Telling an employer what their employee is doing is not a crime.

Telling a clergyman what their constituent is doing is not a crime.

Telling a wife what their spouse is doing is not a crime.

 

Whether it's irresponsible and/or ill-advised is a matter for debate.

 

Fair enough. I appreciate you speaking from your professional prospective.

 

My opinion is this- if he has proof then follow the proper channels. Report it.

 

I working with the assumption, based on his described plan, that he doesn't have proof and that any "proof" he obtains may point him towards the wrong person. I'm also of the opinion that it's not his place to jump in the Mystery Machine and gather proof.

 

I do know this, if some fellow cacher started visiting my employer, clergyman, and wife this would set off a red flag on my creep meter. A private individual hunting down information about me- where I work, where I go to church, even approaching my wife to talk to talk about me? I'd be filing a complaint and a restraining order first thing the next morning.

 

Maybe he gets his proof and it points him to the right person... Great. Tell all the other cachers in the area. Share the video on Utube. Talk about the maggot behind his/her back. Talk to the parents if it's a minor. See if somebody else in the community knows the person or has contact them on a regular basis. Sure. Fine.

 

Starting leaving sticky notes on their private property. Maybe once. Said maggot is a gun owner that "not afraid to use it"? Not so much.

 

Good luck with your maggot, Bittsen. I've got nothing more to say on this.

Edited by Castle Mischief
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Wouldn't it be logical to assume that most cache maggots read the forums?

I would say "No". I imagine that less than .001% of active cachers regularly read the forums.

 

Great, now I'm a statistic.

 

What exactly does one do with a "cache maggot" once he/she is caught? What reason is there to believe they would stop stealing caches once they have been caught?

 

Once they're caught, the public humiliation and condemnation does wonders.

 

The best part is even if they steal no more, one cache posting a DNF will generate a public "torch and pitchfork" moment all on its own

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Good luck with your maggot, Bittsen. I've got nothing more to say on this.

 

Now wait a second. I NEVER said I had a cache maggot that was the inspiration for the original post. I don't think I implied it either.

 

Your statement implies I had a sepcific individual or circumstance and I don't. I would appreciate it if words were not put into my mouth in the future.

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Interesting concept for sure, but you'd end up losing a netbook and all the accouterments that you've put out to catch some muggling a, at most, $10 container when they took the ammo can and then saw the webcam and followed the wiring.

 

Proof yes, but the loss of $500-600 worth of equipment isn't worth it, IMO.

 

Oh, I forgot to mention that the apparatus for surveillance should be placed well away from the actual cache and WELL camo'd (and secured with chain/lock/etc. Add $10 for the chain and lock). Only the camera would be close if its done right and even that would have to be 10ft away or so.

$15 for cable cutters and a silent 'thankyewverymuch' as soon as I find it. :mad:

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What could you do to a cache maggot, that even though might be (arguably) illegal but not something that is likely to be prosecuted?
I vote for the use of bait bills wrapped around explosive dye packs. Seems to work well at banks. Of course, you'd need to dissuade the innocent from making the visit!
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