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Ammo boxes being stolen?


stpalmer

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All of my caches have been ammo boxes. Increasingly, they are disappearing. It's expensive to keep replacing them. I'm starting to wonder if people are stealing them FOR the ammo boxes. I've also noticed that fewer and fewer caches are "full size" or ammo boxes. Is this a problem everywhere?

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All of my caches have been ammo boxes. Increasingly, they are disappearing. It's expensive to keep replacing them. I'm starting to wonder if people are stealing them FOR the ammo boxes. I've also noticed that fewer and fewer caches are "full size" or ammo boxes. Is this a problem everywhere?

 

I can't say if it is everywhere, but we have had a rash of ammo boxes being taken in our area too.

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We have so darn few active folks up here if one went missing it would be a matter of text messages before it was found. I've been to caches here that were ammo cans that have a ton of muggles who have found the cache and signed the log book without taking the cache. Some of the best logs in the book are from non-cachers I found.

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We have so darn few active folks up here if one went missing it would be a matter of text messages before it was found. I've been to caches here that were ammo cans that have a ton of muggles who have found the cache and signed the log book without taking the cache. Some of the best logs in the book are from non-cachers I found.

 

Thats the same near us. One of the few ammo box's left was one placed in 2002. It is in a popular dog park and nearly all the muggles know about it

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For while in the UK Ammo Boxes would 'disappear'.

The answer seems to be not mention it's an Ammo Box in the cache listing, and not mark it as a 'Large sized' cache.

And watch the logs, in case someone mentions it's an ammo box...

 

Or only use Ammo Boxes for difficult D/T or Unknown/Puzzle caches...

 

If someone is stealing them, it means they have to actually go to the cache to find if it is an Ammo Box or not.

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When I first started caching I had read in the forums about ammo cans being stolen. That is why I put a small mark of my initials on all of my ammo cans. My first one just went missing not that long ago, so I will start checking every ammo can I find for my missing can. Eventually I will find it, and the thief who took it.

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Nobodies come out and said it so I will. You guys think a CACHER is stealing Ammo Boxes for their own hides?

 

I couldn't imagine it, but I'm new and maybe naive. If you mark them with your initials and then later find it as some else's cache what would you do?

If one ammo box at random gets taken, I tend to think it wasn't stolen by a cacher. However, I have read of cases where multiple ammo boxes were stolen in a short period of time in a given area. That looks suspiciously as if someone with a geocaching account is looking up caches just to find and steal ammo boxes. That's never happened in my area to my knowledge, but there have been reports.

 

--Larry

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Nobodies come out and said it so I will. You guys think a CACHER is stealing Ammo Boxes for their own hides?

 

I couldn't imagine it, but I'm new and maybe naive. If you mark them with your initials and then later find it as some else's cache what would you do?

If one ammo box at random gets taken, I tend to think it wasn't stolen by a cacher. However, I have read of cases where multiple ammo boxes were stolen in a short period of time in a given area. That looks suspiciously as if someone with a geocaching account is looking up caches just to find and steal ammo boxes. That's never happened in my area to my knowledge, but there have been reports.

 

--Larry

I think it's more likely that a hunter or other muggle heard about "free ammo cans in the woods" from someone else, or maybe they stumbled upon an ammo can geocache themselves at one point, and then they decided to open a geocaching account so as to find more free ammo cans.

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Is this a problem everywhere?

It's regional. But there's an unbelievably vast spectrum of reasons containers go missing. You can try to mitigate it with tougher hiding, as Bear & Ragged mentioned above. You might also ask a few local cachers for their honest opinion of your cache location. Maybe it's just not a good spot, again for any number of reasons.

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I once had a friend that stole my magnet off of my fridge. I went to his house and stole it back. He then came and stole it again. I went and stole it back, put it on my car, invited him for a ride somewhere. He stole it again. So, I went to his house while he was at work, and stole his fake deer out of his yard. Left the head in my yard, yanked the rest up a tree with a rope. He stole it back...along with my rope and a chair off the front porch...

 

See where this is going?

 

It not only never ends, it snowballs.

 

Granted this scenario had turned into a good-natured game.. imagine it snowballing without the good nature.

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I think it's more likely that a hunter or other muggle heard about "free ammo cans in the woods" from someone else, or maybe they stumbled upon an ammo can geocache themselves at one point, and then they decided to open a geocaching account so as to find more free ammo cans.

I agree 100%. I didn't mean to imply that it was cachers stealing ammo boxes, it's more likely to be someone who has no interest in geocaching, but does have an interest in the ammo boxes. Especially given the price of ammo boxes these days.

 

--Larry

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About two weeks ago I priced ammo cans at a local surplus store. $16.95 for a 30 cal.! That's insane! At those prices I can see why they go missing. Looks like I'll stick to Lock-N-Locks.

 

Holy carp. I'll send you one fully stocked and free of charge, My only requirement is that you place it on a walking trail.

 

PM me an address.

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About two weeks ago I priced ammo cans at a local surplus store. $16.95 for a 30 cal.! That's insane! At those prices I can see why they go missing. Looks like I'll stick to Lock-N-Locks.

 

At least you have them there. we don't even have them there and it makes me want to throw up a little to think about spending the price of the can in shipping and handling.

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I prefer hiding ammo cans, they're just so maintenance free. BUT, they're inherently valuable, and people will take them.

 

I've never gotten the impression that cachers are taking them, I think mine are sometimes found by hunters. In particular during the small game season here, they're out in the woods with dogs, I think the dogs end up investigating the same cubby holes that hold caches. Hunter finds can, hunter takes can. Often dumping the contents on the spot.

 

Put the same hide in a lock and lock, and it's just another piece of dirty plastic. Nobody wants it.

 

Still, I mostly hide ammo cans. Even if I have to replace one from time to time (and I've replaced a LOT of them - though more to fire loss then any other cause). It's still cheaper then the cost of multiple trips dealing with failed seals, broken tabs, and degradation to sunlight.

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Yesterday I found my first ammo can hide. The sad thing is that it is a fairly recent new hide. Given the commentary here about ammo cans, I can only imagine its survival rate.

 

My point is that it is a shame that people, hopefully none are fellow cachers, have the low set of moral code to steal these. This is a fun and fulfilling avtivity and I enjoy the sport of the hunt and the find. Too bad there are those out there that will not respect personal property and leave things along.

 

Ok off the soap box...but felt good to vent.

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About two weeks ago I priced ammo cans at a local surplus store. $16.95 for a 30 cal.! That's insane! At those prices I can see why they go missing. Looks like I'll stick to Lock-N-Locks.

 

Holy carp. I'll send you one fully stocked and free of charge, My only requirement is that you place it on a walking trail.

 

PM me an address.

 

Thanks, the offer is appreciated. But I still have a few left. I think, though, that I'll save them for more remote hides.

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About two weeks ago I priced ammo cans at a local surplus store. $16.95 for a 30 cal.! That's insane! At those prices I can see why they go missing. Looks like I'll stick to Lock-N-Locks.

 

At least you have them there. we don't even have them there and it makes me want to throw up a little to think about spending the price of the can in shipping and handling.

 

There are now surplus stores near you? Odd.

 

When I started caching I could buy a 30 cal. locally for three bucks. I don't get why they have gone up as much as they have.

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I won't say a geocacher never took an ammo can for his own hide, but it's not common. As a few people had mentioned here I think it's hunters and other people who've heard about an easy way to get "free ammo cans".

 

Many geocaches in my area are ammo boxes and they don't seem to go missing at a rate any greater than any other container, but I'm sure some areas do have working ammo box thieves who target them.

 

It would help if you don't mention that its an ammo box in your cache description. I don't think many ammo box thieves are willing to take the trek out to find what may or may not be an ammo box. If they know its an ammo box then it is worth the trip to them.

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I prefer hiding ammo cans, they're just so maintenance free. BUT, they're inherently valuable, and people will take them.

 

I've never gotten the impression that cachers are taking them, I think mine are sometimes found by hunters. In particular during the small game season here, they're out in the woods with dogs, I think the dogs end up investigating the same cubby holes that hold caches. Hunter finds can, hunter takes can. Often dumping the contents on the spot.

 

Put the same hide in a lock and lock, and it's just another piece of dirty plastic. Nobody wants it.

 

Still, I mostly hide ammo cans. Even if I have to replace one from time to time (and I've replaced a LOT of them - though more to fire loss then any other cause). It's still cheaper then the cost of multiple trips dealing with failed seals, broken tabs, and degradation to sunlight.

 

The LnLs I have hidden have as good a track record as my ammo cans. With the one exception that they can't be hidden where they may get crushed. I have one ammo can that gets buried in a shale scree. It holds up well. I doubt the LnL would do as well.

 

Oh, and the LnLs don't make that great noise when opened and closed. :laughing:

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Here in Idaho, I'd say a good 75% of the "large" size caches located in our ever-present sage and rocks are 7.62mm cans and most "TB Hotels" are the .50 cal cans. However in the city typical hides are film cans and on the city fringes you usually find peanut-butter jars, water bottles, and lock-n-locks. Both styles of USGI boxes are available in huge quantity locally at $10 a pop for either size. I personally think that's not too bad a price if the can sticks around for a year or longer. Real ammo cans hold up in our high-desert SO much better than anything plastic. I don't have any problems with CO's who lock them to something with a bike chain or similar as long as I can get the cache open without it being stuck 2 feet over my head on a branch in a spruce tree ;)

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About two weeks ago I priced ammo cans at a local surplus store. $16.95 for a 30 cal.! That's insane! At those prices I can see why they go missing. Looks like I'll stick to Lock-N-Locks.

The surplus store here has .50 size for $15 and .30 size for $13. Still pretty steep.

 

If only I had room in this little apartment, the government liquidation auction has 250 can lots with bids starting at $150.....Let's see, I could maybe fit 30 under the kitchen table? Throw away the kids' bed frames and sit the mattresses on ammo cans instead? Put flour, sugar, etc., in labeled ammo cans? Stick potted plants inside open cans - call it art? I'm thinking I'm still gonna have 100 left over...unless maybe I bore a hole into the attic and shove them up there. :)

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About two weeks ago I priced ammo cans at a local surplus store. $16.95 for a 30 cal.! That's insane! At those prices I can see why they go missing. Looks like I'll stick to Lock-N-Locks.

The surplus store here has .50 size for $15 and .30 size for $13. Still pretty steep.

 

If only I had room in this little apartment, the government liquidation auction has 250 can lots with bids starting at $150.....Let's see, I could maybe fit 30 under the kitchen table? Throw away the kids' bed frames and sit the mattresses on ammo cans instead? Put flour, sugar, etc., in labeled ammo cans? Stick potted plants inside open cans - call it art? I'm thinking I'm still gonna have 100 left over...unless maybe I bore a hole into the attic and shove them up there. :)

 

Couple of cachers your friendly/trusted with? Chip in !

Maybe a regional caching group would be interested in it.

Did that a few years ago. 30 cals ran us 2.50 ea!

You get more than enough cans to play and don't have to worry about the storage of the rest. Hold an event and everyone can come get their cut.

The house is saved and the kids won't have to use 'em for lunch boxes.

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About two weeks ago I priced ammo cans at a local surplus store. $16.95 for a 30 cal.! That's insane! At those prices I can see why they go missing. Looks like I'll stick to Lock-N-Locks.

 

At least you have them there. we don't even have them there and it makes me want to throw up a little to think about spending the price of the can in shipping and handling.

 

i'm thinking of an ammo catche but hearing they get stolen maybe not but if you don't want to buy online because of shipping try an army surplus store ;)

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About two weeks ago I priced ammo cans at a local surplus store. $16.95 for a 30 cal.! That's insane! At those prices I can see why they go missing. Looks like I'll stick to Lock-N-Locks.

 

At least you have them there. we don't even have them there and it makes me want to throw up a little to think about spending the price of the can in shipping and handling.

 

i'm thinking of an ammo catche but hearing they get stolen maybe not but if you don't want to buy online because of shipping try an army surplus store ;)

 

What's the catch? :anitongue:

 

I don't think everyone has a surplus store near by.

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About two weeks ago I priced ammo cans at a local surplus store. $16.95 for a 30 cal.! That's insane! At those prices I can see why they go missing. Looks like I'll stick to Lock-N-Locks.

 

At least you have them there. we don't even have them there and it makes me want to throw up a little to think about spending the price of the can in shipping and handling.

 

i'm thinking of an ammo catche but hearing they get stolen maybe not but if you don't want to buy online because of shipping try an army surplus store ;)

 

Yup I know where they sell them. The nearest surplus store that may sell them is about 170 miles away. So either I pay $14/can to ship them or I pay $14/gas to get them. It's lose/lose for me and jacks up the price of a can to approximately $28/can in some cases.

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Plano makes a field box that looks just like a .30 caliber ammo can, except that it's plastic (Model 1312-50). It has what looks like a pretty durable rubber gasket seal, just like a metal ammo can. Does anyone have any experience with how well they hold up to rain and sun?

 

They cost $5 at their outlet store, about $8 or $9 online, which sounds like a pretty good substitute for metal ammo cans, if they hold up.

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You guys think a CACHER is stealing Ammo Boxes for their own hides?

I couldn't imagine it, but I'm new and maybe naive. If you mark them with your initials and then later find it as some else's cache what would you do?

I think that some ammoboxes was stolen by cachers. Ordinary thief stole whole cache or leave its content in plastics bag but in some cases was ammobox replaced with lock-n-lock by somebody. It isn't noticeable, cache don't look muggled and it's hard to found who did it because cache owner discovers it weeks or months later.

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About two weeks ago I priced ammo cans at a local surplus store. $16.95 for a 30 cal.! That's insane! At those prices I can see why they go missing. Looks like I'll stick to Lock-N-Locks.

The surplus store here has .50 size for $15 and .30 size for $13. Still pretty steep.

 

If only I had room in this little apartment, the government liquidation auction has 250 can lots with bids starting at $150.....Let's see, I could maybe fit 30 under the kitchen table? Throw away the kids' bed frames and sit the mattresses on ammo cans instead? Put flour, sugar, etc., in labeled ammo cans? Stick potted plants inside open cans - call it art? I'm thinking I'm still gonna have 100 left over...unless maybe I bore a hole into the attic and shove them up there. :)

 

I heard the store over in Bend got a alot better price and that was this past summer.

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Its been happening quite a lot in my area. I enjoy placing creative and fun-to-find hides, and people keep stealing them. You can look at my profile to see how close theses two multis are from each other, but the finals were a Pelican container and and ammo box. Both were stolen at around the same time, but the thief left everything that was inside of the cache at GZ and just took the box. If it was a muggle who who just happened to cross a pretty wide river, they would have taken everything in the box. Both of these caches were multicaches so the thieves had to have found the other stages, and even solved the puzzles to find it.

 

It is sad that people are willing to ruin a lot of fun geocaches so that they can have the containers at the end. Its not just mine, I've found a few of caches that end up as a "regular" or "large" but the cache is gone, and the contents are still there.

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About two weeks ago I priced ammo cans at a local surplus store. $16.95 for a 30 cal.! That's insane! At those prices I can see why they go missing. Looks like I'll stick to Lock-N-Locks.

The surplus store here has .50 size for $15 and .30 size for $13. Still pretty steep.

 

If only I had room in this little apartment, the government liquidation auction has 250 can lots with bids starting at $150.....Let's see, I could maybe fit 30 under the kitchen table? Throw away the kids' bed frames and sit the mattresses on ammo cans instead? Put flour, sugar, etc., in labeled ammo cans? Stick potted plants inside open cans - call it art? I'm thinking I'm still gonna have 100 left over...unless maybe I bore a hole into the attic and shove them up there. :)

 

I heard the store over in Bend got a alot better price and that was this past summer.

 

Ok, fine. *sigh* I'll drive to Bend before I'll bore a hole in the ceiling. :P:D

 

Plano makes a field box that looks just like a .30 caliber ammo can, except that it's plastic (Model 1312-50). It has what looks like a pretty durable rubber gasket seal, just like a metal ammo can. Does anyone have any experience with how well they hold up to rain and sun?

 

They cost $5 at their outlet store, about $8 or $9 online, which sounds like a pretty good substitute for metal ammo cans, if they hold up.

 

I bought a .50 caliber size one just like that from Cabelas recently for $8. I just put it out for a cache, so we'll see how it fares. It has a seal, but I don't think it'll be waterproof - it seems too flexible. I didn't test it (for watertightness) but I did use it as a "footstool" to get my tail up in a tree, and even though I used the edge, it flexed a lot when I stepped on it. It popped back out as soon as I got off, but that doesn't seem watertight to me. We'll see how it works as a cache in the upcoming wet months, but as a footstool, it tanks. :D

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About two weeks ago I priced ammo cans at a local surplus store. $16.95 for a 30 cal.! That's insane! At those prices I can see why they go missing. Looks like I'll stick to Lock-N-Locks.

The surplus store here has .50 size for $15 and .30 size for $13. Still pretty steep.

 

If only I had room in this little apartment, the government liquidation auction has 250 can lots with bids starting at $150.....Let's see, I could maybe fit 30 under the kitchen table? Throw away the kids' bed frames and sit the mattresses on ammo cans instead? Put flour, sugar, etc., in labeled ammo cans? Stick potted plants inside open cans - call it art? I'm thinking I'm still gonna have 100 left over...unless maybe I bore a hole into the attic and shove them up there. :)

 

I heard the store over in Bend got a alot better price and that was this past summer.

 

Ok, fine. *sigh* I'll drive to Bend before I'll bore a hole in the ceiling. :P:D

 

Plano makes a field box that looks just like a .30 caliber ammo can, except that it's plastic (Model 1312-50). It has what looks like a pretty durable rubber gasket seal, just like a metal ammo can. Does anyone have any experience with how well they hold up to rain and sun?

 

They cost $5 at their outlet store, about $8 or $9 online, which sounds like a pretty good substitute for metal ammo cans, if they hold up.

 

I bought a .50 caliber size one just like that from Cabelas recently for $8. I just put it out for a cache, so we'll see how it fares. It has a seal, but I don't think it'll be waterproof - it seems too flexible. I didn't test it (for watertightness) but I did use it as a "footstool" to get my tail up in a tree, and even though I used the edge, it flexed a lot when I stepped on it. It popped back out as soon as I got off, but that doesn't seem watertight to me. We'll see how it works as a cache in the upcoming wet months, but as a footstool, it tanks. :D

 

For whatever reason a couple people here have had some degree of success with tackle boxes (the big ones) as caches. It makes absolutely no logical sense to me how these things are staying reasonably dry but they've held up (one for a few years).

 

I'd buy a lot of ammo cans if someone went in on it with me. Get all 4 of us locals on board and it wouldn't be so bad. There's a metal store in town here that will occasionally get pallets of ammo cans but the survivalists out in the boonies will buy them by the pallet-full. I tried to buy a couple off a survivalist last year and you would have thought I was asking him to donate a kidney. If the suvivalists don't get them the plethora of hunters do.

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About two weeks ago I priced ammo cans at a local surplus store. $16.95 for a 30 cal.! That's insane! At those prices I can see why they go missing. Looks like I'll stick to Lock-N-Locks.

 

Holy carp. I'll send you one fully stocked and free of charge, My only requirement is that you place it on a walking trail.

 

PM me an address.

 

Thanks, the offer is appreciated. But I still have a few left. I think, though, that I'll save them for more remote hides.

 

Okay. Should that change just ask. I have a surplus just for sharing. Prepping ammocans is bit of a hobby.

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About two weeks ago I priced ammo cans at a local surplus store. $16.95 for a 30 cal.! That's insane! At those prices I can see why they go missing. Looks like I'll stick to Lock-N-Locks.

 

Holy carp. I'll send you one fully stocked and free of charge, My only requirement is that you place it on a walking trail.

 

PM me an address.

 

Thanks, the offer is appreciated. But I still have a few left. I think, though, that I'll save them for more remote hides.

 

Okay. Should that change just ask. I have a surplus just for sharing. Prepping ammocans is bit of a hobby.

Due to this thread, I bought a couple of 30 cal cans at a local Army surplus store today. Here the price has gone up to $6.95. Was $5.95, and I found just one with that price tag still on it. It's best to buy in person where possible, so you can inspect the condition.

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They are far and few between but you may stumble upon them at garage sales. I stumbled upon a very big one at a garage sale over the summer and got it for $2. It was the only one I found though and went to several sales. My dad is military and has been able to get me several free ones from post so I consider myself very lucky. They are expensive at the military surplus stores around here. I do really like ammo cans for the durability and water proof factors but really would love to see more original containers. We are starting to actually build our own containers just to have something different to put out. Maybe look for alternative containers that would work as well and then you would have something original and wouldn't have to worry about them being stolen.

 

Also, I do believe there have been cachers who have taken the cans either for their own cache container or another reason. I don't think this is the norm but I do believe it happens. They can also turn around and sell them for $15-$30 so I see why they are stolen. It is wrong but it does happen. Some people just have no morals and live a very self centered life. I have seen all types of "good" containers mysteriously change to a different type of container. That is what makes me suspicious and believe there are some cachers who do this. They bring a cheap container and transfer the contents from the good container to the cheap container and keep the good container. It is sad but it is what it is. No sense in getting all fired up about it when you can't really do much about it. It stinks!

Edited by SmallsKC
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I have had 4 ammo cans taken. These were on my traditional caches. I replaced them with Lock-n-lock style containers. My multi-stage caches with ammo cans have not been taken. Two of them have had the same ammo can since 2003, one since 2006. I used to get them for as little as US$2 for the 30cal, then $3 and now they are $8 to 12.

 

I have been working on a replacement ammo can where I stamped: EScout and the GC number several times using metal stamps and a hammer. I have also glued rocks on 5 sides of the exterior. I am planning on pouring concrete inside to a level of 1/3 or 1/2. I need to figure a way to secure the concrete to the bottom using wire or bolts. This should make it less desirable.

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Nobodies come out and said it so I will. You guys think a CACHER is stealing Ammo Boxes for their own hides?

 

I couldn't imagine it, but I'm new and maybe naive. If you mark them with your initials and then later find it as some else's cache what would you do?

It does happen. We had a cacher who hid an ammo can in a spot that was hard to see. When it was released the First to Log said the container was not an ammo can but a lock n lock. That means someone went out as soon it was released and swapped it out. But yes it is hard to tell. In Lancaster, Ca there is a GeoArt "Clue" where almost half of the Extra large (suitcase type) ammo cans turned up missing because someone started to follow the tire tracks to the caches in the desert.

I would also suggest marking and if possible anchor them with lock and chain. I have done that with some of mine.

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Nobodies come out and said it so I will. You guys think a CACHER is stealing Ammo Boxes for their own hides?

 

I couldn't imagine it, but I'm new and maybe naive. If you mark them with your initials and then later find it as some else's cache what would you do?

If one ammo box at random gets taken, I tend to think it wasn't stolen by a cacher. However, I have read of cases where multiple ammo boxes were stolen in a short period of time in a given area. That looks suspiciously as if someone with a geocaching account is looking up caches just to find and steal ammo boxes. That's never happened in my area to my knowledge, but there have been reports.

Like an ebay seller looking to sell them back to you[lather, rinse, repeat]

get a set of punches and mark them, that would make it undesirable to a geocaching thief.

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I was reminded of a cache of mine that is now some kind of food container - a pretzel jar perhaps? In '07, it was an ammo can. Some one took ammo can, left camo painted jar. I don't remember when I first noticed this.

As long as the jar stays dry, I'm leaving it.

 

But, yeah, I'd say with 98% certainty that a cacher took my ammo can and left a different container. A non-cacher wouldn't have an empty camo painted pretzel jar underarm a mile an half out from the parking. They'd passed another ammo can before they got to my hide, but it has "ammo" in the title, maybe that deterred them from changing out the container.

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