Raided Cache

[+One Man and his Bike]

My first cache was only published 2 weeks ago. Just a small-ish clip box painted dark green. It has had half a dozen founds already and isn't a particular challenge to find (just in a rather nice place with historic interest). Yesterday it had 3 logs from a group of regulars around here so when I passed on my way home I thought I'd have a look in the log and check on it (I cycle past it within 10 feet anything up to 20 times a week). I'd put plenty of swappables in it when it was published and a TB )which was picked up by the FTF).

 

I was really happy to note that it had 2 new TBs in it and some swappables that my daughters would like to see so I thought it would be good to bring them down to it today.

 

As it happens, the river that it is near to was flooding over and although the cache is in a slightly higher place than the surrounding land I felt it prudent to ensure it didn't float off if the river did get that high as it is wont to do sometimes.

 

Last night someone else logged a find.

 

This afternoon I grabbed the cache to take it and drill a hole in one of the tabs so I could wire it to the tree it is at the base of and took it home for an hour. The girls opened it and found no TBs and only half a dozen swappables. The inventory still shows 1 TB. Even the pencil went.

 

Any suggestions?

[I!]

Ooh, bad luck. I'd suggest refilling with cheap items and hoping that whoever stole your stuff won't strike again. I've had similar happen -- there are idiots out there for sure -- but no repeat raids yet.

[+mellers]

Yes, this is what happens with caches - don't feel despondent. Not every one trades up or trades even, so you may have to accept that the removal of swappables without putting anything in is what will occur. It seems to be human nature.

 

However it's also quite common (and conversely perfectly acceptable) for finders to leave posting their on-line logs until it's convenient or possible to do so and this can be days (or in some cases more than a week) later. Well actually, I've had some people post logs on some of my caches MONTHS later!

 

I know that when I have found a cache on holiday when I don't have internet access, it can take me up to a week to catch up with my logs. Equally, if I'm on a challenge and have 100 logs to write, it can also take me a few days to catch up. The TB is hopefully with someone who is yet to log, so keep an eye on your listing and hopefully in a few days it will appear as having been moved on. If it doesn't, then you can list the TB as missing. Again, it sadly happens from time to time, and it's unfortunate that it should happen to you with your first one.

[+One Man and his Bike]

Ooh, bad luck. I'd suggest refilling with cheap items and hoping that whoever stole your stuff won't strike again. I've had similar happen -- there are idiots out there for sure -- but no repeat raids yet.

 

Yes, but what do I tell the TB owners? And there were only a few hours between my visits and one person logged a visit in that time.

[+MartyBartfast]

As for the TB thats still in the inventory, if it was picked up early today it's quite possible that the finder hasn't got round to logging it yet.

[+Delta68]

... but what do I tell the TB owners?

Nothing!

 

The cache hasn't actually been muggled so just wait and see

We've had TBs go missing for over a year and turn up safe and well

 

I also found a TB in my rucksack once which I had picked up about six months earlier

 

Mark

[+One Man and his Bike]

There isn't a signature in the log that hasn't logged the find... but I'll try to stop worrying. I'm still a little annoyed at someone snaffling a dozen swappables.

[I!]

There isn't a signature in the log that hasn't logged the find... but I'll try to stop worrying.

I'd probably post a non-accusatory note on the TB's web page. Either that or indulge in a massive rant against thieving cache cretins -- it would depend on my beer intake that evening.

 

We can help you write it if you like. "Dear TB owner ..." Who's next?

[+One Man and his Bike]

There isn't a signature in the log that hasn't logged the find... but I'll try to stop worrying.

I'd probably post a non-accusatory note on the TB's web page. Either that or indulge in a massive rant against thieving cache cretins -- it would depend on my beer intake that evening.

 

We can help you write it if you like. "Dear TB owner ..." Who's next?

 

I just posted a note on each TB owners' logs. I simply stated that the bug was there and now it isn't and that the person who moved it on has yet to log the move.

[+One Man and his Bike]

Now I'm trying to work out how to make my bike a trackable

[+One Man and his Bike]

And... panic over. Someone just logged a visit with a note that they took the TBs

[+MartyBartfast]

And... panic over. Someone just logged a visit with a note that they took the TBs

 

Sometimes people take days to log their caches/trackables online, I think you need to relax a bit otherwise you're gonna crack under the strain . Eventually a trackable may go missing from your cache, it's never nice but everyone realises it happens and no-one should be blaming the cache owners when it happens.

[+One Man and his Bike]

And... panic over. Someone just logged a visit with a note that they took the TBs

 

Sometimes people take days to log their caches/trackables online, I think you need to relax a bit otherwise you're gonna crack under the strain . Eventually a trackable may go missing from your cache, it's never nice but everyone realises it happens and no-one should be blaming the cache owners when it happens.

 

I will relax when we have a few more about. This one's only been on the go for two weeks and my daughter's name is on it. She came and helped me nail the thing down this afternoon

[+FYI_Geocaching]

Just read the log notes on your cache page. My opinion only, others may disagree, but would it be a nice gesture to contact the cachers who had to log a dnf and tell them that, in the circumstances, they can claim a find?

[+One Man and his Bike]

Just read the log notes on your cache page. My opinion only, others may disagree, but would it be a nice gesture to contact the cachers who had to log a dnf and tell them that, in the circumstances, they can claim a find?

 

I did that within an hour of the FTF. I offered to send them photos of the cache in the place that they obviously looked and matched the description and to enter their name in the logbook.

[+Simply Paul]

One reason caches get emptied: "Left TB, took [the nicest thing in the cache]" - It happens way too often for my liking

[+drsolly]

The classic was this log on one of my caches:

 

Took 300 gigabyte hard drive, left biro.

[+Dogfort]

I feel for you Team Kennedy. I dont even bother with swag anymore. I rarely ut it in my own caches as more often than not cr@p gets put in and good stuff taken out.

[I!]

The classic was this log on one of my caches:

 

Took 300 gigabyte hard drive, left biro.

Don't be so mean-spirited. You got a lanyard out of it, too.

[+Shanghai Joe]

The classic was this log on one of my caches:

 

Took 300 gigabyte hard drive, left biro.

 

To be fair, they are both data recording devices

Edited June 10, 2012 by Shanghai Joe

[+drsolly]

The classic was this log on one of my caches:

 

Took 300 gigabyte hard drive, left biro.

 

To be fair, they are both data recording devices

 

Very true, and the biro, with refills, could record more than the 300 gb hard drive.

 

 

Eventually.

[+HazelS]

Blimey....

 

I must need shooting then.... very often I don't log caches or TB's I've taken until at least a week after visiting...

Sometimes real life takes over, or I simply forget.

 

Chill..... I know many a cacher who are playing catch up with their logs from months ago... or like my other half, does it when he can be bothered....

[+perth pathfinders]

Blimey....

 

I must need shooting then.... very often I don't log caches or TB's I've taken until at least a week after visiting...

Sometimes real life takes over, or I simply forget.

 

 

So, you go on holiday for a couple weeks, you get home, back to work, back to the grind, back to the heap of washing and ironing, back into the usual routine, eventually you have time to sit back at the computer to log all your finds, then you root around the very depths of your cache bag, you may have put the TBs in a jacket pocket you don't wear again till weeks later ............

 

Nope HazelS, you don't need shooting, not everyone logs instantly - me included!

[+Cushie Butterfield]

I refilled a cache with a load of goodies only for a local cacher to come and take most of the new stuff out to make room for some TBs he was setting away. If he put something bigger than a micro or nano himself he could have put them in one of his own.