Stolen Caches

[GulfCoastGal]

Does anyone have any recommendations for how to secure traditional ammo box caches? Recently, 2 ammo box style caches have been stolen from our neighborhood in Baltimore. They were created by 2 different groups, on completely different ends of the neighborhood and were well hidden so I strongly suspect that someone used geocaching.com to find them. Is anyone out there having similar problems?

[+hzoi]

Does anyone have any recommendations for how to secure traditional ammo box caches?

 

Cable-style bike locks, perhaps. Or just a chain and a padlock.

[+Gitchee-Gummee]

In the same neighborhood? Sounds to me like somebody needs ammo cans. I would not put any more out "in the neighborhood".

 

Ya know, they are great for baseball card collections......

 

Once a thief notices a cache is an ammo can, well... a thief is a thief. It doesn't cost them anything to create a regular membership and there is no background check to become a member.

 

In short, I do not believe there is a way to truly secure one... not with less than 150 lbs of concrete.

Maybe an alarm? That would make the neighbors happy, as well as legit cachers!

 

 

It isn't so unusual for caches to go missing, either by intent or otherwise. Once a muggle thief has found a cache, that spot is compromised. I would not replace it.

[+lamoracke]

ugh, i would not put baseball cards in an ammo can but thats me.

[+hzoi]

Recently, 2 ammo box style caches have been stolen from our neighborhood in Baltimore. They were created by 2 different groups, on completely different ends of the neighborhood and were well hidden so I strongly suspect that someone used geocaching.com to find them. Is anyone out there having similar problems?

 

Just saw that these were Baltimore area caches. I know Maryland had problems with a "cache maggot" in that area a few years back, stealing caches. For all I know, the problem never went away. Hope it hasn't been a constant issue. The answer might be getting some local cachers together and coming up with a joint solution.

[GulfCoastGal]

I also wondered if the thief was recycling the metal cans for cash. It's certainly no coincidence that the only 2 ammo cans in the area have been stolen. I think you may be right about the spot being compromised so we will likely find another location. Really a shame about these caches, they were filled with cool stuff and had at times various travel bugs and geocoins passing through.

[+T.D.M.22]

the can's are worth more to sell as ammo cans than to recycle them. I had used a bike lock for one and it wasn't stolen. Other than chaining it to something I would never put it in a high population area.

[+terrkan78]

If the CO does replace the ammo can, definitely move it to a new location, preferably with a hike involved (park & grabs go missing much more often than hiking caches), make sure the cache page does not mention the fact that it's an ammo can (ammo cans which advertise that fact go missing more often), and lock it to a nearby tree with a cable or something. This won't stop a determined thief, but it'll increase the can's odds of survival.

 

The CO could always replace with lock & locks. Less attractive to thieves and yet a very good container.

[GulfCoastGal]

I never knew there were such creatures as "cache maggots" out there and that Maryland had a problem with them at some point. I see that ammo cans are running between $10-20 each so in these desperate times I can see someone swiping and reselling these. dadgum, least they could do is leave the items in the cache behind. Well, I'll have to put my thinking cap on and do a more creative and challenging hide I guess. Thanks for all the info!

[+BAMBOOZLE]

In many areas, where the cache pages state that the container is an ammo can the caches are getting muggled. Some folks say its Tupperware and put out an ammo can and others quit using ammo cans. If I'm putting out a high quality container like an ammo can I make the cache Premium Member only ( in fact I recently made all mine PO ).....it helps, the vast majority of muggle thieves aren't going to pay $30 to check out possible victims.

[MWESGeoKids]

Actually, after a quick google revealed this as a solution, I upgraded moments ago to premium membership and will make the cache member only. I helped the green club of my local elementary school create and place this cache. The kids learned all about geocaching and donated natural items such as shells and shark's teeth to this really fun cache. Everyone was really sad and surprised when it was stolen. Definitely worth the $30/year to replace this cache that the kids worked so hard on and I'm looking forward to the challenge of making this cache as maggot proof as possible.

[+Ike 13]

the vast majority of muggle thieves aren't going to pay $30 to check out possible victims.

Most containers go missing due to a muggles tumbling upon them and taking it as treasure. These people don't have accounts. If I was a cache maggot whose one goal was to steal ammo cans I would pay for the $30 PM so I could more easily filter for regulars and avoid the audit log. Like people said an ammo can can go for $10 so 4 ammo cans and I turn a profit.

 

As for keeping them from going missing a chain works well. It will keep the muggle who stumbles upon it to leave it be (they still may raid the inside). But if there is a thief hunting ammo cans this may not persuade them to stay away and they may just come back with bolt cutters or whatever.

[GulfCoastGal]

Well, I have another ammo can that was given to me so I'll probably use that and not load it up with much swag. If this cache gets stolen a 2nd time, I'll switch to a lock and lock container. Now that I know about these maggots, I'll definitely do a much more challenging hide and probably throw a bike cable lock on for good measure. I'll hide it further down or up the stream too so that a longer hike is involved. I did a search in our area and saw that a couple of caches have gone missing and not just the ammo boxes as I had thought. One cache in particular was composed of 2 painted metal light switch plates held together with a magnet and stuck via another magnet on top of a metal beam that was part of a pavilion in one of our local parks. It was made to look like part of the beam and you had to be standing on top of a short stone wall to actually see the cache and really look hard. It was a really fantastic and creative hide. Whoever took that one did not stumble upon it--it was clearly looked for and was taken maliciously. So, I'm guessing that some caches are stolen after muggles stumble upon them, some are taken for their ammo boxes, some for their swag and some are taken for vicious sport.

[+BAMBOOZLE]

Well, I have another ammo can that was given to me so I'll probably use that and not load it up with much swag. If this cache gets stolen a 2nd time, I'll switch to a lock and lock container. Now that I know about these maggots, I'll definitely do a much more challenging hide and probably throw a bike cable lock on for good measure. I'll hide it further down or up the stream too so that a longer hike is involved. I did a search in our area and saw that a couple of caches have gone missing and not just the ammo boxes as I had thought. One cache in particular was composed of 2 painted metal light switch plates held together with a magnet and stuck via another magnet on top of a metal beam that was part of a pavilion in one of our local parks. It was made to look like part of the beam and you had to be standing on top of a short stone wall to actually see the cache and really look hard. It was a really fantastic and creative hide. Whoever took that one did not stumble upon it--it was clearly looked for and was taken maliciously. So, I'm guessing that some caches are stolen after muggles stumble upon them, some are taken for their ammo boxes, some for their swag and some are taken for vicious sport.

 

Don't forget......don't mention the fact that the container is an ammo can.

[+kunarion]

I'm guessing that some caches are stolen after muggles stumble upon them, some are taken for their ammo boxes, some for their swag and some are taken for vicious sport.

There a buhzillion reasons, everything from kids telling non-Geocacher friends, to a vindictive long-time Geocacher after his Geocide. Who knows, maybe it's someone targetting you for whatever reason. If you chain your ammo box, some people still manage to invent ways to make your cache miserable. Just sayin.

 

Placing the container at the end of a long hike might help. I'd suggest waiting a month or more before reactivating. Or just start over in a different area (avoid this neighborhood).

Edited August 3, 2012 by kunarion

[+Don_J]

Does anyone have any recommendations for how to secure traditional ammo box caches? Recently, 2 ammo box style caches have been stolen from our neighborhood in Baltimore. They were created by 2 different groups, on completely different ends of the neighborhood and were well hidden so I strongly suspect that someone used geocaching.com to find them. Is anyone out there having similar problems?

 

It's gotten to the point that no one hides ammo cans around here anymore. We can put one out and not mention it in the description, get a bunch of finds then someone logs something like "Love the ammo cans" and the next log is a DNF.

 

I found one in the Mojave Desert that was cable locked to a 3' diameter cactus. I found out later that someone ripped the cactus out of the ground just to steal the can.

[+OZ2CPU]

one ammo can of mine got stolen, again !

so I took a new one and welded a 25 kg rusten 1m long iron bar on its botton side,

now it stays at the correct spot, and is now easy to open and close with one hand.

 

I also tried to weld a ring to the lit and case for a pad lock and chain,

it also worked, however chain and padlock cost same as 3 new ammo cans,

 

I think it is mostly kids who stumble over a nice ammo case, dont read the sign on it "geocache please dont remove"

or simply they dont respect the game and fun others have with it..

Our game can only work with a little luck and good behaviour from anyone who finds one.

YES there are people with bad intentions anywhere ! who only wants to make things bad for others,

but they are very few of them out there, and they will get tired before they damage them all.

 

so dont give up, move them a bit, and halve their size up the diff !

after every muggle, then you find out how hard it must be hidden to be left alone,

also making it PM only, have an effect in some areas.

some say it is unlikely a vandal will pay a montly fee to perform his vandalism,

but if he can log in for free and get the info, he might do it.

 

another trick, make the ammo can useable ONLY for geocaching

but not for keeping stealing or use by anyone else..

take a drilling or hand milling machine, CUT/mill deep marks in its lit and sides,

write your cacher name on it, and leave it to corode !! now they will not steal it,

it can only be used as a geocache with you as owner.

Edited August 5, 2012 by OZ2CPU

[GulfCoastGal]

Thanks for all of the great tips. I think I'll also disguise the box and glue twigs, rocks whatever to match the natural environment to up the difficulty even more...

[+Arctikkat]

I'm having a similar problem. Over the past month several of my very expensive store bought camo caches have gone missing. These are not located in a high muggle area, and the casual observer would not consider a stone at the base of a tree in the woods to be worth stealing. I am confident that I am dealing with what one person here described as a "cache maggot". Someone, who is a geocaching member, is finding my geocaches and replanting them as his own.

 

I feel badly to have to make all of my caches for premium members only, but it'll have to be done. At least the expensive camo caches. The thief doesn't seem too interested in my tupperware containers. If the thefts continue I'll just stop planting caches.

[GulfCoastGal]

How did you camo your ammo cans? I immediately became a premium member for the cache I did for the elementary school kids and will relist the cache as a premium cache. Someone commented that thieves might invest the $30 if they think they can score enough ammo cans to make a enough profit beyond the $30. I guess I'll find out if that is true. If the cache does get nabbed again, I'll switch to tupperware...

[+BAMBOOZLE]

I'm having a similar problem. Over the past month several of my very expensive store bought camo caches have gone missing. These are not located in a high muggle area, and the casual observer would not consider a stone at the base of a tree in the woods to be worth stealing. I am confident that I am dealing with what one person here described as a "cache maggot". Someone, who is a geocaching member, is finding my geocaches and replanting them as his own.

 

I feel badly to have to make all of my caches for premium members only, but it'll have to be done. At least the expensive camo caches. The thief doesn't seem too interested in my tupperware containers. If the thefts continue I'll just stop planting caches.

 

I travel quite a bit and the problem is nationwide.

[+BAMBOOZLE]

How did you camo your ammo cans? I immediately became a premium member for the cache I did for the elementary school kids and will relist the cache as a premium cache. Someone commented that thieves might invest the $30 if they think they can score enough ammo cans to make a enough profit beyond the $30. I guess I'll find out if that is true. If the cache does get nabbed again, I'll switch to tupperware...

 

I really feel the vast majority of these thefts is by persons who will not pay the $30 for a premium membership.

Don't replace the cache right away.....get with the reviewer and go a couple of months before replacement....then list it as Gladware.

[+Arctikkat]

 

I travel quite a bit and the problem is nationwide.

 

I have no doubt about that Bamboozle, but I believe I'm dealing with a local because my caches that have gone missing are all in the same square mile of real estate. Another thread had mentioned setting up a wildlife camera to catch the theif...I may consider it.

[+Olddffart]

Does anyone have any recommendations for how to secure traditional ammo box caches? Recently, 2 ammo box style caches have been stolen from our neighborhood in Baltimore. They were created by 2 different groups, on completely different ends of the neighborhood and were well hidden so I strongly suspect that someone used geocaching.com to find them. Is anyone out there having similar problems?

 

This cache has managed to survive with no problems so far in a very public place (airport entrance).

 

 

Attached securely and made to look like it belongs there.