trackables always missing!

[+Misfit-77]

I looked for this topic on the first 2 pages but didn't see it brought up, or missed it.

 

Why is it almost every cache I find that has trackables in the inventory actually have zero!? This isn't an occasional thing, it's 90% of the time! Are people stealing them? People not knowing how to log the pick up and drop it off?

 

I've thrown one out there and it was logged as picked up (my luck the day I drove 40 minutes to place in a more visited cache after sitting for a month and someone snagged it an hour earlier lol.) I have seen no movement on it for a week. No visits and no drop. So I'm not holding my breath it'll actually travel. I'm not getting excited about it I understand not everyone caches every weekend.

 

I guess I'm just a bit baffled how every cache has missing inventory. Is this common in all areas? This has me very hesitant to

throw any more out there.

[+Dan2099]

Ain't nuttin but a g thang bay-buh

[Pup Patrol]

I looked for this topic on the first 2 pages but didn't see it brought up, or missed it.

 

Why is it almost every cache I find that has trackables in the inventory actually have zero!? This isn't an occasional thing, it's 90% of the time! Are people stealing them? People not knowing how to log the pick up and drop it off?

 

I've thrown one out there and it was logged as picked up (my luck the day I drove 40 minutes to place in a more visited cache after sitting for a month and someone snagged it an hour earlier lol.) I have seen no movement on it for a week. No visits and no drop. So I'm not holding my breath it'll actually travel. I'm not getting excited about it I understand not everyone caches every weekend.

 

I guess I'm just a bit baffled how every cache has missing inventory. Is this common in all areas? This has me very hesitant to throw any more out there.

 

If you look at the two subforums for trackables, you will see that this issue is discussed often.

 

Travel Bug forum

http://forums.Groundspeak.com/GC/index.php?showforum=9

 

Geocoins

http://forums.Groundspeak.com/GC/index.php?showforum=44

 

Threads about trackables that are posted in other forums generally get moved to one or the other of the subforums.

 

 

B.

[Keystone]

Moving as explained above.

[+Misfit-77]

Ok nevermind. I see em now! Lol

[+The A-Team]

I have seen no movement on it for a week.

Not at all out of the ordinary. You really don't need to start worrying until several months have passed.

[+frinklabs]

Implementation of this proposed feature would likely reduce some of the difficulties with missing-but-listed trackables.

[+Candcteam]

Yes, it is very frustrating.

 

Really though, there are two main issues here - where are the trackables going and why isn't the cache inventory correct?

 

Why the trackables are missing? Who knows why people do that! I cannot fathom why cachers collect other peoples' bugs. What is the value in that? Are there some sort of geeky, rogue cachers that get their kicks off stealing trackables and showing them off to their other geeky, TB stealing friends? I guess so. Of course, you have the cachers that cache once a year when they are on vacation, yet still take bugs (these people really drive me nuts!) and really don't know how to log them. Throw in a few just plain lazy cachers and you have a mess!

 

If these people can read to geocache, they can read how to log a Trackable. No excuses in my book. I know some people say its actually okay to wait a long time (months?) to log a TB, but the "rules" clearly state the bug should be passed on quickly. If you can't or won't do that, fine. Don't pick up a bug.

 

I do however think the link for logging a TB should be more visible from the geocaching homepage. It is sort of buried.

 

Also, the iPhone ap allows you to discover a bug, visit a bug, but does not allow you to retrieve a bug. You have to log on to geocaching.com to log retrieve. Ridiculous. Many honest cachers click "discovered" from the ap when they take a bug. They don't realize this does not remove the bug from the cache inventory and put it in their possession. I am the CO of a TB hotel, and I've had to email several cachers to have them correct their log. All have been happy to do so and appreciated the help.

 

Finally, there is the issue of cache maintenance. If the cache owner is keeping up with his/her cache, they should know if a bug is there or not. Simply reading the logs from helpful geocaches will tell you that. The owner should then go into the cache and mark to bug as missing. It's easy to do and is a courtesy to the bug owner and future cachers. Of course, many cache owners stop caching and don't retire their caches -a whole other problem!

[+TL&MinBHIL]

It's one thing for muggles to discover a cache and take trackables, but it's really a shame for fellow cachers to do it to one another. I'm sure there are plenty of cachers who grab trackables who hold them way too long or are simply unaware of the process, but I'm willing to bet a majority of missing trackables are due to straight up theft. It's not like they can use them as their own if it's already been activated by another cacher, so I suppose the only real purpose of keeping them is for their own personal collection.

 

We wanted one of our own, but never bought one in fear it'd be stolen. It doesn't matter if it only costs a few bucks, I didn't want to buy one knowing there's a huge risk it'd end up missing. So when Geico ran their promotion last year and gave away free Gecko TB's, we saw it as a perfect opportunity to set our own TB free. We thought by getting one free, it wouldn't matter as much if it disappeared, but to be honest, it's still very disappointing. Since releasing it in Aug. 2011, it only took about 8 months and only passed through 3 other cachers before turning up missing. It's been 3 months now and I can only assume it won't reappear. The last cache it was in has an inventory of 8 trackables, but according to the logs, none of them are there. Many of those Gecko TB's, even ones put into circulation long before ours, are still traveling to this day, so it's disappointing knowing ours crossed paths with the wrong cacher who doesn't have the decency to move it along.

[+Candcteam]

It's one thing for muggles to discover a cache and take trackables, but it's really a shame for fellow cachers to do it to one another. I'm sure there are plenty of cachers who grab trackables who hold them way too long or are simply unaware of the process, but I'm willing to bet a majority of missing trackables are due to straight up theft. It's not like they can use them as their own if it's already been activated by another cacher, so I suppose the only real purpose of keeping them is for their own personal collection.

 

We wanted one of our own, but never bought one in fear it'd be stolen. It doesn't matter if it only costs a few bucks, I didn't want to buy one knowing there's a huge risk it'd end up missing. So when Geico ran their promotion last year and gave away free Gecko TB's, we saw it as a perfect opportunity to set our own TB free. We thought by getting one free, it wouldn't matter as much if it disappeared, but to be honest, it's still very disappointing. Since releasing it in Aug. 2011, it only took about 8 months and only passed through 3 other cachers before turning up missing. It's been 3 months now and I can only assume it won't reappear. The last cache it was in has an inventory of 8 trackables, but according to the logs, none of them are there. Many of those Gecko TB's, even ones put into circulation long before ours, are still traveling to this day, so it's disappointing knowing ours crossed paths with the wrong cacher who doesn't have the decency to move it along.