Preventing Cache Theft

[+CacheFreakTim]

I am thinking of placing a rather large 50 cal ammo can in the woods near my house. I am trying to think of ways to prevent it from being stolen (or muggeled.) One idea that crossed my mind was using something like a bike lock to secure it to a tree.

 

What thoughts do you have about how to keep an important cache secure so it does not get stolen?

[+mpilchfamily]

If your not willing to part with it then don't place it.

[+StarBrand]

Hide it better.

 

I have about 18 50 cal boxes out. Zero stolen. No chains or ropes or straps.

 

They are regular size - not large.

[+mpilchfamily]

Are you talking about the large Mortar cans? I've only seen one out caching. It is placed pety close to a well traveled trail. But its well covered and most of it sits in a cavity under n uprooted tree. So even if it isn't covered properly it is on the back side of the tree from the path and looks like a regular 50 cal can till you try to pull it out.

[+briansnat]

Hide it well. If someone wants your cache a lock ain't going to stop them.

[+Mother Wolf]

I have 1 of the LARGE ammo cans. It is in the woods on a trail that isnt all the popular. My problem isnt someone taking it my problem is they move it. [removed] I know we arent suppose to bury caches but to help keep this can where I wanted it I did put it down in the dirt about 1/3 of the way & then just have some pine needles & tree debris for coverage. Its on the back side of a huge tree so unless you are actually looking for it you wouldnt see it. It was also noted on the cache page DO NOT REMOVE OR MOVE FROM LOCATION. Well guess what? You got it. It was taken out of its little indentation (the cacher even took a pic so you could see how big it was). Then if not that cacher another moved it so it was then about 75ft away. Who is the idiot that did that? CAnt people just leave [removed] where they find it? Ok fine you want to be a help & cover it better, great, but dont move it. Maybe your coords put GZ 75' away but others were righ on so leave the dadgum cache alone, send the CO a note & be on your way.

 

Sorry for the rant. Good luck with your big ammo can. Maybe you wont have any problems.

Edited April 23, 2011 by Keystone
Potty language removed from rant.

[+Chokecherry]

I've never figured out how the bigger ones migrate. I found larger cache which had migrated 40 feet away or so (the owner confirmed it). I mean the small ones I can see landingi n the wrong bush or something but the big ones you'd have to purposely pick that beast up and move it away...

[NeecesandNephews]

It's fairly easy to explain why they "migrate" The Reader's Digest Condensed Version is : "MORONS".

Every moron with the latest cell phone app (at least in my area) is absolutely positive if NASA knew how accurate their cell phone is, they would come and seize it for the greater good. I have read logs of new cachers "moving it to where my cell phone said it was supposed to be".

Never mind it was well hidden with excellent camo, they are positive it was supposed to be dangling from a nail in the rafters of the gazebo of the local park, in plain sight.

Science has yet to develop a cure for "stupid".

[+Ecylram]

We've had issues in our area with ammo cans coming up missing. Personalizing the cache so that it isn't very collectable to another person helps considerable.

[+iamgeek]

I have seen someone take a very large cache strapped to a tree with a bike lock. The took the whole tree.

[+BigAl437]

I agree with the statement that "if they want it they will take it". It doesn't matter how well you have it secured they will manage to take it. I'd say just find a really good spot and make sure it is hidden really well. Lots of camo. That should be a great help.

[+geodarts]

I think that most land managers would not appreciate caches that were locked and chained. But I can see the temptation. I just had to retrieve a cache that had been in place for several years, before someone moved it to a "better" spot 75 feet away.

Edited April 24, 2011 by mulvaney

[knowschad]

I know somebody that filled one of those half full of cement (where are you, Bittsen?) to keep it from being stolen.

[+EScout]

I know somebody that filled one of those half full of cement (where are you, Bittsen?) to keep it from being stolen.

Ammo cans are being taken, so you have to make them less attractive to the thieves. Fill it half full of concrete, then stamp your cache name or ID in the metal, and glue some rocks to the outside. Three of my caches with ammo cans were taken, and if I were to replace them with other ammo cans, that is what I would do.

[OliverrWilliams]

i spent most of yesterday creating 2 cache containers out of logs which you could hardly tell they are caches, even stood right above them you could hardly tell.

 

so what i want to know is how could i stop a jealous cacher or someone out to cause trouble taking these caches?

[Clan Riffster]

so what i want to know is how could i stop a jealous cacher or someone out to cause trouble taking these caches?

The sad reality is, you can't. If someone is heck bound on mischief, no force on Earth will stop them. The ones you can sometimes impact are the opportunist type. Those folks who stumble upon the cache, and think "This is neat! Let's take it!". For those folks, a chain and lock will at least slow them down. If stealing the cache turns out to be too much like work, they might decide to leave it. Maybe. I his an ammo can 40' up a palm tree, affixed with a chain. It was stolen. Oddly enough, the chain was left behind. If you combine a lock, with a hard to reach location, like way out in the woods, away from any trails, your odds of having your cache stolen are reduced. Maybe.

[+power69]

We've had issues in our area with ammo cans coming up missing. Personalizing the cache so that it isn't very collectable to another person helps considerable.

use of punches would be big deterrent.

[OliverrWilliams]

no matter what sport/activity you do there is always going to be someone out to ruin it. and when they want to ruin it they will find a way, nothing will stop them..

 

but until i find a way to stop them, my new handcrafted 'log' cache is staying in the garage..

[medoug]

Electrify the ammo can with a dog shock collar. If the can is moved outside of a defined zone, the carrier gets a shock and drops the ammo can.

 

Lots of technical details, but hey, it could work.

[+Sol seaker]

I knew of one near here that was locked to a tree with a chain. It was in an industrial park. If it wasn't for the chain it surely would have been taken much sooner. It still went, but at least had a happy life first.

 

Nothing is forever.

[OliverrWilliams]

maybe i should make it next to impossible to find, then only the rare few will be in a chance of taking it?

[mresoteric]

Electrify the ammo can with a dog shock collar. If the can is moved outside of a defined zone, the carrier gets a shock and drops the ammo can.

 

Lots of technical details, but hey, it could work.

 

Probably some legal implications to intentionally shocking a person.

 

Sounded like a joke to me.

[+JimmyM]

I have ammo can chained to a tree with a quarter inch diameter wire type bicycle lock. It has lasted almost 2 years. It did get muggled once, but the container survived.

Edited April 25, 2011 by JimmyM

[nobody137]

Landmines should do the job.

 

Although routine maintenance might take on a whole new meaning.

Edited April 25, 2011 by nobody137

[knowschad]

Landmines should do the job.

 

Although routine maintenance might take on a whole new meaning.

 

Probably some legal implications to using landmines.

[+Sharks-N-Beans]

no matter what sport/activity you do there is always going to be someone out to ruin it. and when they want to ruin it they will find a way, nothing will stop them..

 

but until i find a way to stop them, my new handcrafted 'log' cache is staying in the garage..

 

Until it's in the field, it's not a cache. So that makes it a handcrafted log.

[+Scooby-Doo Crew]

I've been thinking about putting out a LARGE ammo can and attaching it to a dog cork screw stake thingie with metal cable. I would of course cut the handle off of the stake. But as I cache more I'm beginning to think that the lok-n-lok caches are the way to go. They are cheap and if one gets ripped off just throw another one out. Here is a cache that has an interesting story going on. Because of the location and it getting ripped off multiple times makes me think it's cachers doing it.My link

[+Chief301]

I've been thinking about putting out a LARGE ammo can and attaching it to a dog cork screw stake thingie with metal cable. I would of course cut the handle off of the stake. But as I cache more I'm beginning to think that the lok-n-lok caches are the way to go. They are cheap and if one gets ripped off just throw another one out. Here is a cache that has an interesting story going on. Because of the location and it getting ripped off multiple times makes me think it's cachers doing it.My link

Yep, that's what I was thinking...don't put anything out there you're not willing to lose. Even if you chain the ammo can to the tree, some bozo is going to trash it and destroy the can out of sheer petulence (I've been wanting to use that word ) if he can't break the chain.

 

I do like the electric shock idea, though

[+DontPanic67]

Landmines should do the job.

 

Although routine maintenance might take on a whole new meaning.

 

Probably some legal implications to using landmines.

 

Wouldn't you have to up the terrain rating to a 5 star?

[OliverrWilliams]

Only after the first person trying to steal it

 

Landmines should do the job.

 

Although routine maintenance might take on a whole new meaning.

 

Probably some legal implications to using landmines.

 

Wouldn't you have to up the terrain rating to a 5 star?

[+power69]

Electrify the ammo can with a dog shock collar. If the can is moved outside of a defined zone, the carrier gets a shock and drops the ammo can.

 

Lots of technical details, but hey, it could work.

They'd steal the dog collar and leave the ammo box.

[+A & J Tooling]

I am presently building a few caches that CAN'T be stolen, unless you're willing to invest some time, effort and money into acquiring them.

 

I do have to laugh when I saw an ammo can with this big lock and big chain around a big tree and the chain went though that little wire handle. All you have to do is pop that wire handle off and it's yours.

 

Sometimes you have to realize, 'kids will be kids'. Most things taken are by kids that don't think beyond 'now'.