ive been GROPED

[+DragonsWest]

Create a power trail. That'll show em.

[+cx1]

How about cache-jacker or something else along those lines.

 

I don't like the term maggot, not for the same reasons as the sight impaired dog but just because it is an ugly sounding word. Similar to words like barf or gorp. They just have a nasty feel to them. /shrug

[+DragonsWest]

How about cache-jacker or something else along those lines.

 

I don't like the term maggot, not for the same reasons as the sight impaired dog but just because it is an ugly sounding word. Similar to words like barf or gorp. They just have a nasty feel to them. /shrug

An older term is Spoiler - reference to card cheats, cattle rustlers, fence cutters, etc. of the west a century past.

 

One way perhaps to address these people is to show their action causes a disproportionate and opposite reaction (to borrow a page from Newton) Create many new caches to replace the missing ones and include in the cache page a reference to Spoilers, i.e.

 

If this cache has been stolen by the immature spoilers GROPE it will be replaced - Caching survives.

[4wheelin_fool]

Create a power trail. That'll show em.

 

A members only power trail of nanos in the woods listed with unknown size, and all named after them...

[oakenwood]

Create a power trail. That'll show em.

 

A members only power trail of nanos in the woods listed with unknown size, and all named after them...

A good idea, except that their intent is to annoy people with the least effort. They take the low-hanging fruit. There will always be someone easier to annoy.

 

The true answer is to find out who they are and have them prosecuted for theft. Blogspot accounts are not anonymous. The woman in Washington who theives caches should be easy to expose.

 

Likewise, email transmissions are rarely truly anonymous. The OP who got GROPED should be able to find out who sent the email if they try hard.

 

Enough is enough. Criminal activity must be punished. The people who muggle our caches commit crimes. The way to stop them is by involving the authorities.

[+wolfslady]

Not to mention they stole TB's out of the cache so to me that means up to 3 additional people who could ladge a complaint. If the police don't take that seriously maybe small claims court?

 

If I decide against the police I'd do a Grope series as suggested. Maybe start with Caches for Grope Series 1/1000. I'd choose places that need CITO and state clearly on the cache page that because they are so worried about cleaning up when they collect your cache you expect them the leave the area clean and clear to prove they aren't hypocrites. Post a picture of the area and see what happens.

 

But I also like the idea of thanking them. "Wow thank you so much. I've been wanting to archive that one, but I haven't been able to get out there. Another cacher wants to place a premium member mega size cache in the area and he will be so happy to hear mine is gone.

[+DragonflyTotem]

I had a thought the other day when this was being discussed about another area. AuntyWeasel suggested placing caches in there honor. I thought "Why not take it a step farther?" go out to their hunting area and hide about 100 micros titled "In honor of GROPE" #s 1 to 100. No need to worry about proximity just place them far enough apart that they don't stumble on them while doing their deed. Only post one at a time. Any time they steal one go ahead and list the next one. I think it would be an interesting experiment. Test their resolve.

The first one you put out should be #100, then count down from there. The promise of having to return to the same spot 98 more times after they retrieve the first two and see the countdown might discourage them.

 

Almost -- do all of that, but then somewhere in the middle randomly put out one as #200 or #847 or whatever. Help to give them that genuine feeling of hopelessness. :-)

[+CanUK_TeamFitz]

I must say, the responses in this thread have been refreshing in contrast to the 'other' thread (Rome).

 

I had a cache stolen twice so my solution was to change the location slightly but also leave an shocking lighter in there (with a warning on the cache page).

 

Still I think creating a series in honour of GROPE is an even better solution - play the griefers at their own game. Have fun with it - treat it as a side game.

 

I'll be looking out for GROPE if they come to my area - could make the game more interesting.

 

I also agree with NOT banning their account. If they're dumb enough to log then I say let them - and let us have a record of where they operate and how far their reach is.

 

If you play whack-a-mole with their account or IP address, you're only causing yourself more work and more difficulty in tracking their activity.

 

I like GS forums new found sensibility and refrain... hope it lasts!

[+AuntieWeasel]

"Maggot" is a deliberately ugly term. I think it's a pretty apt description of someone who gets his jollies working to ruin the harmless fun of a bunch of people he's never met. People who thrive on making misery...when I'm queen, I don't suppose I'll have them snuffed, but re-education camps are probably in order.

 

Lives of perpetual cache maintenance, perhaps.

[+pklong]

If it's only 60 caches then the answer is to keep calm and carry on. I know they have been operating for quite some time so the amount of caches lost due to them must pale into insignificance against the number of caches lost to other causes.

 

They will get bored eventually and move on to something else. At the end of the day all they have taken is a plastic box with a log book and a few McToys. It's sad trackables are being lost too, but again that happens all the time anyway. I also think it's hardly worth using up the polices time on, there are far more important crimes than this.

 

Philip

[+J the Goat]

I'm about to grumble about this thread, so if you don't want to read it, stop now.

 

 

 

 

Alright, here goes. Are we really arguing about what to call these people? Really? That's been a waste of almost half this thread. Call them what you want, as long as it's forum appropriate, who cares?

 

Second. I've thought this from the beginning of the Rome thread. The Police? REALLY? While I in no way condone the destruction/theiving of caches, you want to waste their time on THIS? REALLY? I have as much pride in my few hides as the next guy does, and I have tons of respect for those of you who have put hours into your containers and lots of thought into your hides, but the Police? Come on folks, with police officers losing their jobs across the country and dangerous things like Meth use on the rise quickly, you really think it's appropriate use of these resources to find the guy who's taking your ammo box? From public property? Don't be the tattle tale kid on the playground, he's as disliked as the guy he tattlinng on.

 

There, I've vented. I meant it though.

[Andronicus]

Here is a quote from Jeremy that I had never thought of before

 

The other issue, that I haven't addressed on the subscription page, is that some folks have become targets by anonymous troublemakers that like to destroy individual's caches. Subscription only caches will allow you to audit your cache to see who looked at your cache page and when. In addition, a certain amount of anonymity goes away when you subscribe, so troublemakers will either not bother subscribing or be scared to subscribe since they are no longer anonymous.

 

This realy maks a good argument for turning caches into PM only caches when idiots like this are on the prowl. Realy, with the audit ability, no one is annonomous anymore. And since they have made a payment for their PM, their account is linked into the real world.

 

Quick question. What the cache in a Natural area or environmentaly sencitive area?

 

***This question in not intended as an accusation, or as a excuse for theft.

 

Editied to add question mark.

 

no one was i a pub car park and the other was on a signpost on a public road

That makes an already Lame "environmental crusade" even lamer!!

[+AuntieWeasel]

Oof. PM caches. I get the point, but it's a real pain when you cache as family but log separately. No way we'd do two premium memberships -- my other half is just not that into it.

 

I have to use all my wife-fu to get him on the trail at all, and then to be faced with the butt-ache of logging his finds...

[jholly]

Oof. PM caches. I get the point, but it's a real pain when you cache as family but log separately. No way we'd do two premium memberships -- my other half is just not that into it.

 

I have to use all my wife-fu to get him on the trail at all, and then to be faced with the butt-ache of logging his finds...

 

Well you could show him one of the numerous ways a basic member can log a PM cache. Probably the easiest is this one.

[+AuntieWeasel]

Not sure what you were pointing me to, but we do log his finds using bait-and-switch. But sulky person + extra hurdles = let's just not go there.

[Andronicus]

Not sure what you were pointing me to, but we do log his finds using bait-and-switch. But sulky person + extra hurdles = let's just not go there.

Easyest way is to go to

 

www.geocaching.com/seek/log.aspx?WP=<insert cache code here>

 

This may actualy be easyer than using the web site features to find the log page.