Escondido - they blew up the cache

[+Ritz Crackers]

My sister found out the Escondido Bomb squad was called out to Industrial and Anderson in Escondido. There they found an Ammo can attached to the AT&T CEV (Control Environment Hut - large green box). They check Geocaching but couldn't find it so they blew it up. I checked this morning and found GC3C2TT right at that spot - shown as Regualr size. The bomb squad said it had little vents cut into the side of it, and the AT&T employee who found it said it wasn't there the last time he visited the CEV about a month ago. I checked and this went live 02/04/12 - so I am pretty sure it is the cache the blew up. I sent Redrox a note to let her check it out.

[+kawikaturn]

Maybe we should tell the bomb squad about all our caches attached to the CEV's!? OR, maybe they enjoy blowing up caches for practice.

[+mblatch]

Or perhaps one shouldn't put caches on CEV's in the first place...since they obviously could be easily construed as something more sinister. Just a thought. haha

Edited March 28, 2012 by mblatch

[+Ritz Crackers]

Or perhaps one shouldn't put caches on CEV's in the first place...since they obviously could be easily construed as something more sinister. Just a thought. haha

Another idea would be to provide Law Enforcement free access to Prem Members caches - at least their locations.

[JASTA 11]

How about not placing a cache on private property without permission?

[+the4dirtydogs]

Or perhaps one shouldn't put caches on CEV's in the first place...since they obviously could be easily construed as something more sinister. Just a thought. haha

Another idea would be to provide Law Enforcement free access to Prem Members caches - at least their locations.

I believe GS already does this. Guess you just have to ask or let the LEOs know that they can have this service for free. I still think they just like to blow stuff up.

[+Planet]

When your cache is illegally placed on private property, and the bomb squad blows it up, you don't vow to replace it. Way to promote our hobby! Not.

[+The JJ Duo]

Is there even the tiniest chance that there might have been a bit of a zealous over-reaction here?

[+3cd's]

Just throwing in my two cents in defense of the bomb squads decision to blow up the cache. I have been geocaching since 2005 and due to my line of work. (Law enforcement, K9 handler) I listen for the radio calls concerning suspicious devices in case they may be geocaches. Most of the time now with smart phones it is easy to see if there is one hidden nearby. Many other times, just by the descriptions of the case I can determine it may be a cache. I have also found a cache that was hidden in a fake hand grenade, a metal pipe with metal caps at each end and strapped to a tree near a hiking trail (The bomb squad was only called out on one of these as they got the call before we did) I have responded to shopping centers, schools, shelters for abused women and abortion clinics about these (devices) most are harmless just placed by someone not using common sense. The most important thing is that we police ourselves, if we see a problem with the placement of a cache, say something about it. I have complained about a few caches, one in particular was hidden about 40 ft up a pole on fiesta island, within a couple of weeks a drunk transient tried to climb it, broke his leg and we nearly lost all caches on Fiesta Island. The last call about a geocache was GC1HTGF, looking at the google maps it appears that it is behind a chain link fence, the fence was placed there to prevent access to the dam itself, a park ranger has said he has stopped several people ready to climb a fence to get to it.

 

As far as being over zealous and over reacting the bomb arson squad several times a year puts out a display showing what could be, or are actually explosive devices found right here in San Diego, some are obvious some are not.....there are altoids tins packed with Black Powder and wrapped with heavy duty tape and set off as fireworks. I have found numerous geocaches hidden in altoids tins, wrapped with camo duct tape....all have been geocaches, maybe one in a thousand that we get calls on have been manufactured by a tweaker or a nut. Who knows why...knowing what has been found in the past would you want to open an unknown item called in by a citizen as a possible bomb? maybe one in a thousand are some type of destructive device. In the past 30 years I have received hundreds of these calls.....Eventually those odds catch up and I dont want to be the one opening the wrong one.

 

Most cops, most citizens have never heard of geocaching. We learn about it when we get the radio call of the suspicious guy hanging around the home depot parking lot then placing a metal box under the cover at the base of the light pole....the cop gets there and has no idea what it is....One in a thousand....no thanks.

[+3cd's]

and some would ask who would do that. See the forum post about the dangerous booby traps in Utah