stolen geocaches

[+the borgs]

Geocache owners please watch you geocaches.

 

a while ago there was a problem with some people we knew keeping geocoins (pirates of penzanze)

we got involved after emails asking for help

 

after getting a lot of abuse from them they aggred to place them

after 2 weeks they had only placed 1 giving the excuse they couldnt remeber where the caches where

 

so we drove them near a puzzle cache (not letting them see where it was) i retreaved the cache and got them to place the coins and log them into this cache.

 

then a short while after one of our caches with a tb in went missing.

where it was there are security camers but they are very grainy.

the manager looked at the footage and showed us someone clearly going to the cache reaching up taking it then getting back in the car and driving off.

while we cant see there face we belive the car looks like theres

and think they where getting there own back on us.

 

we have tackled them about it but they denied it and gave us more abuse.

 

now IF it was them taking the cache i am worried they may target other geocaches. so please keep a really good eye on your geocaches.

[+eusty]

A hint of what area this is?

[+Simply Paul]

Any chance the cache was simply assimilated?

Good luck with the situation. Let's hope it was a one-off.

[+wellbeloved747]

it may just be a muggle

[team tisri]

With the best will in the world it's simply not possible to "watch" caches to prevent theft. Much as I'm sure it's a royal PITA it's not something that can be prevented once the cache is placed and left behind.

[+keehotee]

then a short while after one of our caches with a tb in went missing.

where it was there are security camers but they are very grainy.

the manager looked at the footage and showed us someone clearly going to the cache reaching up taking it then getting back in the car and driving off.

while we cant see there face we belive the car looks like theres

and think they where getting there own back on us.

 

 

Caches can and do go missing all the time. It's a shame, but there's usually very little we can do about it

 

Slightly more concerned about yours and "the managers" breach of the Data Protection Act here though...

[+Mario McTavish]

The area would be Portsmouth and its environs.

 

I don't understand why they were taken to a cache, though, nor the 'we don't remember where the caches are hidden' comment. They're members, they can obviously find and log caches.

 

If they were happy to give up the coins/trackables then why not just hand them over and allow someone else to drop them off into one/various caches. I remember it being said that they thought you were merely trying to acquire the coins for yourselves. You obviously knew where the cache was so even if they physically dropped them into the cache there would be nothing to prevent you going back and getting them for yourself (should they think that was your plan), so I don't see why they didn't just hand the coins directly to you to be released back into caches.

 

And in the original post about the Pirates it was said that they didn't understand how the game was played and thought they could keep the coins. I find that hard to believe as they didn't log the coins when they found them and deliberately waited until the coins/trackables were logged as missing before logging them as being in their possession. That implies they were WELL aware of what they were doing and how coins/trackables should be handled.

 

This whole story has more holes in it than a swiss cheese, and I find the affair highly suspect. However the coins are now back into circulation again, having personally placed 6 of them in caches to the west of Portsmouth, so hopefully we've heard the end of this.

[+firestars]

What breach? Lol

 

Item goes missing, video is watched.

 

No problem.

[jadenrich2101]

There was a thread a few weeks ago kicking about somewhere on here and as much as it pains me to say it and its not part of the game - TBs and GC's will get taken by ppl who want to keep them for personal reasons.....But watch out.....I found some on Ebay (just like other ppl in that certain thread) that were still ment to be in circulation......like a mega gc or ones that only a couple were made!

 

If there not gonna play the game properly then why spoil it for everyone else (like me ) i love finding out the story behind the TBs and GCs and try my best to help them get to where they want to go!

 

My advice would be if your setting out new TBs or GCs into the world then dont put them in your caches, put them in someone elses abit out of the way that are visited often that way theres less chance of the getting their hands on them and someone whos interested in the game (that smiley is a robber btw)

 

Sorry im rambling on

 

Good luck in future x

[+wildbrownies]

I have found that a lot of caches are now members only. I agree with this as anyone can sign up and help themselves to whatever they want. A serious Geocacher will become a proper member and play the game fair and proper. Maybe all caches should be members only

[+the borgs]

Mr McTavish They where "taken to a cache" BY myself because after 2 weeks of them saying they would place them , i had a polite email from a user i was in contact with saying they had only placed one and could i hurry them on a bit.

when i went round and commented on this there answer was along the lines of "yeah i know i cant remember where the caches are and cant be f***ed to hunt for any at the moment.

 

which was when i offerd to take them to a cache then and there as gary wasnt busy at that time.

 

when they first come round and said sorry to me and that it was there "mistake" i had doubts about this as well after all it was ME that explaind what they where for.(i beleve there change of heart was because i said i would post there home address on hear)when they appologized , they did offer to give ME all the coins to place but I declined as i did not really want to handle them and was reluctent to take this responsability.

 

I choose the cache i did for 2 resons

1.it was a puzzle cache and unlikey to get a rush of people to try and get them.

2.i admit i could be wrong on this bit. But i vaugely remeberd 2 or 3 years ago the cache owner giveing his address out (somewhere in havent i beleve)as a tb amnisty type thing, and figerd if they could be trusted with that and where willing to take that on , then the coins would be safe there.

 

anyway all this is irrlivent I was contacted and asked for help, I gave it. Would you have preferd me to say yes i know them but no im not going to help?

Edited July 19, 2011 by the borgs

[+the borgs]

and really really good news the tb that went missing with my cache turned up at the hampshire mid week thing apperantly in the red tin (means nothing to me as ive never been to one)

 

does show it was not gary though.

but does show it was a geocacher and not a muggle

 

still the main thing is the tb is safe and sound

Edited July 19, 2011 by the borgs

[+Simply Paul]

I have found that a lot of caches are now members only. I agree with this as anyone can sign up and help themselves to whatever they want. A serious Geocacher will become a proper member and play the game fair and proper. Maybe all caches should be members only

Well now, I can't let this go unchallenged. I started caching in 2003 and have found over 5000 - I only recently fell outside of the UK's top 100 finders. I've also placed or helped place over 200 caches and over 40 events. I regard myself as a 'serious' geocacher. I've been a PM in the past but didn't use any of the features. Not even PQs. I also regard myself as a 'proper' member of the caching community - just not a paying, premium one. I trade up or trade even. I place caches. I'm pretty sure I 'play the game fair and proper'...

If all caches were PMO, how many new cachers would spend money to sign up before finding a single and getting hooked? Hardly any. Groundspeak have always said 'caching in its basic form will always remain free'. If this were to ever change, other listing sites would soon have my patronage and I'd archive all my geocaching.com listings faster than you can say 'consequences of greed.'

[jadenrich2101]

If all caches became PMO then alot of people would not join because what if they just wanted to see what it was like? - not everyone gets hooked like all of us have....i wouldnt pay 20 quid for the first time for something i didnt end up enjoying.....Silly comment really

[+NattyBooshka]

Some hiders make all their caches PMO... others make them all available to all... some do bits of both.

 

I think the balance is good, as PMOs being the norm could stop new players joining.

 

GS have stated that the basic game will be free forever, so I can't see them forcing the PMO issue. If I thought I was been targeted by cache thieves, I'd make them all PMO, otherwise there's no reason for me to do so.