CACHE PIRATES... This is a new one on me!

[Greyflank]

So... I've had my first cache (it's several years old) dumped out and exposed several times in the last month or so. There was even a card announcing, "I am not a MUGGLE, I'm a Cache Pirate... and your cache has been HORNSWAGGLED." Okaaaay... but I tried moving the cache anyway... didn't help.

 

My other cache is unmolested so I am assuming it's the pirate's easy access to this cache and not any vandetta against me, so I am deactivating the cache. I hate to cowtow to bullying like this, but I don't want to send peeps bushwachking only to find a sopping mess when they get there.

 

So, has anyone else had these experiences? How prevalient is this?

 

[knowschad]

Not terribly common, considering how many immature, attention-seeking adults there are. If I had my way, this would be the final post in this thread. Your "pirate" is looking for attention, and this thread will give it to them. Don't feed the pirates.

[JohnX]

"I am not a MUGGLE, I'm a Cache Pirate... and your cache has been HORNSWAGGLED."

Just for reference, there was a character played by a dwarf on a professional wrestling show a few years back. He was called "Hornswaggle" and danced around in a hokey leprechaun outfit and generally caused "trouble" between matches. You are probably dealing with someone whose vocabulary derives from "professional" wrestling.

[+TnT7686]

Well that is just a shame someone is going so far out of their way to just ruin people's fun. I will never understand those people! I am sorry you have to deak with someone like that in your area. My cache was just muggled but no note was left behind! I googled Hornswaggled and here are their definitions.

 

Hornswaggled

Tricked. Having the wool pulled over your eyes.

stricked deceived manipulated conned punked

A state of confusion.

Describes a pirate who just had his booty stolen.

to be robbed by a close friend unexpectadly

 

Here is the link http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=hornswaggled&defid=3223473

[+Two Ton Whale]

There was a thread recently about a guy who went around finding caches and then 'toileting' on them. Disgusting, but thankfully he was banned. Doesn't mean there won't be another to take his place though

[+Cachefoxxe]

Unfortunately these people have many ways to get the information. I saw in another thread, that one guy had a premium account and was doing this he was using the premium account to find the hides. Then a sock puppet account to announce on the log that he did it.

[+gpicard]

I have a cache that regularly gets taken after a find log. I marked it for premium members only and asked someone to log a find log. In my case it just confirmed what I already knew. It is very sad to think that a fellow cacher is involved.

 

I have decide to keep replacing my cache but I no longer enter a maint log entry.

 

guy

[+thesmurfinator]

I now live in Spain but on a visit back to the Uk recently I found a few caches in an area near my old home that had had similar treatment. This person leaves a note to the effect that the geocaches are "trash" and shouldn't be cluttering up the countryside. He considers what he is doing to be for the good of the land, and accuses geocachers of littering.

What I don't understand is that he must surely have an account, and therefore SHOULD know about CITO etc and about how much good cachers do in general.

I'm sure there are "bad" cachers out there, people who leave rusty or dangerous things in caches and the like, but I think on the whole we are people who enjoy the countryside and have respect for our environment....

[+zack_black]

Some people are just jerks.

[4wheelin_fool]

People who do such things think they are being funny, until you capture them on a game camera and post it to the page.

[Mr.Yuck]

The term "cache pirates" goes way back to the early days, 2001 or 2002 I'll bet. In the first couple months of my career, I actually found a large cache pirates calling card that had coordinates to where the cache was supposedly moved to. This was in New Jersey, and the cache actually belonged to Mopar, who used to be a HUGE poster in these forums. But I emailed him, and he said it wasn't actually missing. Duh, I didn't even bother to search after finding the card.

 

Hey, how about those zany cachers who "talk like a pirate" in their find logs? They usually have a pirate related username, and they're all like "ARRRRGGHHH! Me found your treasure today". It was funny the first time, but I'll bet I've noticed 10 such accounts in the Northeastern U.S. and Ontario.

[knowschad]

So... I've had my first cache (it's several years old) dumped out and exposed several times in the last month or so.

I looked at that cache, and have to wonder why, with that large woods nearby, you chose to hide this so near the buildings? Is the apparently empty space actually used for multi or mystery caches? At least make the scurvy swabby work a bit for his fun!

[Pup Patrol]

You're giving this person exactly what they want...attention and drama...by posting all that detail and photos on the cache page. Why would you do that?

 

You've basically now dedicated the cache page to the vandal.

 

Now that it's disabled, talk to your local reviewer about moving it, then make it a PMO.

 

Also, what about the trackables?

 

You, as the cache owner, can mark trackables as "missing".

 

2.5. Mark Missing - Trackable on page but not there physically.

http://support.Groundspeak.com/index.php?pg=kb.page&id=152

 

You need to log the trackable that you found.

 

Regarding your other cache, if you have done the needed maintenance, you need to post an "owner maintenance" log. That will clear the "NM" attribute.

 

 

B.

Edited May 28, 2012 by Pup Patrol

[Pup Patrol]

Hey, how about those zany cachers who "talk like a pirate" in their find logs? They usually have a pirate related username, and they're all like "ARRRRGGHHH! Me found your treasure today". It was funny the first time, but I'll bet I've noticed 10 such accounts in the Northeastern U.S. and Ontario.

 

I had thought the pirate craze had run its course.

 

I was wrong, obviously.

 

GC1MGEQ and its associated events.

 

 

B.

[+SwineFlew]

You're giving this person exactly what they want...attention and drama...by posting all that detail and photos on the cache page. Why would you do that?

 

You've basically now dedicated the cache page to the vandal.

 

Now that it's disabled, talk to your local reviewer about moving it, then make it a PMO.

 

Also, what about the trackables?

 

You, as the cache owner, can mark trackables as "missing".

 

2.5. Mark Missing - Trackable on page but not there physically.

http://support.Groundspeak.com/index.php?pg=kb.page&id=152

 

You need to log the trackable that you found.

 

Regarding your other cache, if you have done the needed maintenance, you need to post an "owner maintenance" log. That will clear the "NM" attribute.

 

 

B.

Yep, what I thought as well. Happen to me as well but I handle it like nothing happen.

[+The A-Team]

You're giving this person exactly what they want...attention and drama...by posting all that detail and photos on the cache page. Why would you do that?

Agreed. I'd recommend you do the following:

1. Remove the "Hornswaggled" photo from the Owner Maintenance log.

2. Delete your "Found it" log. First, this log should have been a note, not a found log. Second, as mentioned above, you're providing the attention the muggler is seeking.

3. As Pup Patrol mentioned, the trackables need to be sorted out.

Make the cache page appear as if just regular, run-of-the-mill cache maintenance is going on. Don't mention the muggler. Giving them attention will just feed them. If you pretend they don't exist, they may get bored more quickly.

[Pup Patrol]

Yes, definitely edit the cache page to remove that photo. Why would you want it there? It would be good to remove all the photos that show the mess.

 

You can also ask the other folks to remove any reference to the incident. Or you as cache owner can delete them.

 

Oh, and I noticed you posted a "found it" log. Normally, the cache owner would post a "write note" log or an "owner maintenance" log.

 

 

B.

[+42at42]

A couple of years ago, we had pirates, who logged their find and theft of the cache. I am glad they got bored and crawled back under their rock.

[Mr.Yuck]

Hey, how about those zany cachers who "talk like a pirate" in their find logs? They usually have a pirate related username, and they're all like "ARRRRGGHHH! Me found your treasure today". It was funny the first time, but I'll bet I've noticed 10 such accounts in the Northeastern U.S. and Ontario.

 

I had thought the pirate craze had run its course.

 

I was wrong, obviously.

 

GC1MGEQ and its associated events.

 

 

B.

 

I'll bet the JuicePig is behind that. He's all zany and madcap like that. Hey all the Ontario reviewers are coming. Make 'em walk the plank, Matey's. ARRRRGGGH!!

[+thebruce0]

I had thought the pirate craze had run its course.

I was wrong, obviously.

GC1MGEQ and its associated events.

I'll bet the JuicePig is behind that. He's all zany and madcap like that. Hey all the Ontario reviewers are coming. Make 'em walk the plank, Matey's. ARRRRGGGH!!

Go get yer pirate on! GC3KQG3

it'll never go'way.

[+Bear and Ragged]

I had thought the pirate craze had run its course.

I was wrong, obviously.

GC1MGEQ and its associated events.

I'll bet the JuicePig is behind that. He's all zany and madcap like that. Hey all the Ontario reviewers are coming. Make 'em walk the plank, Matey's. ARRRRGGGH!!

Go get yer pirate on! GC3KQG3

it'll never go'way.

Pirate Mania Mega Event: http://coord.info/GC365FT

Cacher PopUpPirate has been working at growing the events over the years, and got Mega status applied last year, this year got 'Mega' automatically.

 

Edited May 28, 2012 by Bear and Ragged

[+SwineFlew]

I had thought the pirate craze had run its course.

I was wrong, obviously.

GC1MGEQ and its associated events.

I'll bet the JuicePig is behind that. He's all zany and madcap like that. Hey all the Ontario reviewers are coming. Make 'em walk the plank, Matey's. ARRRRGGGH!!

Go get yer pirate on! GC3KQG3

it'll never go'way.

Pirate Mania Mega Event: http://coord.info/GC365FT

Cacher PopUpPirate has been working at growing the events over the years, and got Mega status applied last year, this year got 'Mega' automatically.

 

hmmmm did someone said bake goods? :laughing:

[Greyflank]

So... I've had my first cache (it's several years old) dumped out and exposed several times in the last month or so.

I looked at that cache, and have to wonder why, with that large woods nearby, you chose to hide this so near the buildings? Is the apparently empty space actually used for multi or mystery caches? At least make the scurvy swabby work a bit for his fun!

When I first planted the cache, there wasn't a cell tower or a bunch of maintenance buildings within spitting distance. I had entered at the gardens and walked what seemed like miles. Later, when things expanded and the civilized world was closer, I kept it where it was because 1) I really liked the four trees that guarded the cache and 2)it was nice to have an easy cache for families.

[Greyflank]

 

Now that it's disabled, talk to your local reviewer about moving it, then make it a PMO.

 

Also, what about the trackables?

 

You, as the cache owner, can mark trackables as "missing".

 

2.5. Mark Missing - Trackable on page but not there physically.

http://support.Groundspeak.com/index.php?pg=kb.page&id=152

 

You need to log the trackable that you found.

 

Regarding your other cache, if you have done the needed maintenance, you need to post an "owner maintenance" log. That will clear the "NM" attribute.

 

 

I found Raven #5 when I was cleaning up the litter around the cache site. I think it was obviously thrown so it wouldn't be found, but it was also in some papers so the pirate might have overlooked it. I logged it, of course, that day. And I have placed it in my new cache.

 

But thank you, I didn't know I could log a trackable as missing.

 

The idea of a PMO is new to me and I'll think about it. I'm not sure how I feel about creating a cache that I myself wouldn't be able to find.

[Greyflank]

The Good News is, there were two trackables that were missing out of this cache, but when I went to mark them as missing, there was only one. I'm thinking someone had taking one of them and forgot to log the find, but that they did log it when they placed it elsewhere.

 

The Bad News is, I don't recall the name of the previously missing Trackable/Travel Bug, so this is only a theory. I tried sorting it out on the trackables history page, but nothing seemed to match up quite right.

[+briansnat]

A couple of years ago, we had pirates, who logged their find and theft of the cache. I am glad they got bored and crawled back under their rock.

 

They tend to get bored and move on when nobody pays them any attention, which unfortunately is the opposite of what is going on here.

[Greyflank]

A couple of years ago, we had pirates, who logged their find and theft of the cache. I am glad they got bored and crawled back under their rock.

 

They tend to get bored and move on when nobody pays them any attention, which unfortunately is the opposite of what is going on here.

 

I didn't necessarily come on here to talk about my cache. No links to it. I wanted to talk about cache pirates in general. Since I'm of the opinion that it's not about me, I doubt this pirate's stalking me or my posts, especially since I can go year or more between posts.

 

Also, I'm not outraged, ranting, or any number of things that feed trolls and, I suspect, pirates. I believe this is just a lazy opportunist who is just targeting this cache. Of course, he could be attacking many of the surrounding caches and if the cache owners share the majority verbal opinion here, I might never find out about it. That's not to say the majority is wrong; my stance in Real Life is that secrets and silence never solve anything... but I will admit that they can be soothing.

[+briansnat]

A couple of years ago, we had pirates, who logged their find and theft of the cache. I am glad they got bored and crawled back under their rock.

 

They tend to get bored and move on when nobody pays them any attention, which unfortunately is the opposite of what is going on here.

 

I didn't necessarily come on here to talk about my cache. No links to it. I wanted to talk about cache pirates in general. Since I'm of the opinion that it's not about me, I doubt this pirate's stalking me or my posts, especially since I can go year or more between posts.

 

Also, I'm not outraged, ranting, or any number of things that feed trolls and, I suspect, pirates. I believe this is just a lazy opportunist who is just targeting this cache. Of course, he could be attacking many of the surrounding caches and if the cache owners share the majority verbal opinion here, I might never find out about it. That's not to say the majority is wrong; my stance in Real Life is that secrets and silence never solve anything... but I will admit that they can be soothing.

 

We had one of these pirates in my area years ago. He hadn't touched any of my caches until I spoke out forcefully against the practice in the forums. Almost immediately he started hitting my caches. Don't think they don't come to forums to see what is being said about them.

 

Most of the local cache owners (back when there were about 20 of us) got together outside the forums and decided that we would ignore the pirate. No mention of it in the logs or forums. If a cache was taken we would either quietly archive it or replace it with no mention of of the pirate. He was gone within weeks. It's no fun if nobody notices.

 

Once in a while you get a persistent thief (the guy in the Adirondacks comes to mind) but 90 percent of the time it's just someone looking for attention. Don't give it to them and they get bored fast.