They emptied my cache...

[oliantoine]

I am pretty angry...

 

I recently published a series of 12 traditional geocaches, plus a bonus mystery one.

 

I wanted to make the series attractive, not only because the caches are placed all along a wonderful 10km walk in woods and on country roads, but also thanks to a big bonus cache full of good swags.

 

I spent quite a decent amount of money to fill in the 3 liters bonus cache with toys, music CD, colored pencils boxes, and with a big trackable. Then, I flagged this cache as kid friendly, and I put an explicit note on the cache webpage, to ask people to trade fairly.

 

Since then, the series has been logged by 4 finders, all adults and well-known cachers in the area.

 

Yesterday I had a little check tour on my series. To my sad surprise, the bonus cache was nearly empty. There only remains the log book and eventually the two smaller toys I placed. They took everything! Without putting any small swag back in the cache!

 

I am really frustrated. I am used to cache with my two little boys, and I know how they can marvel at a big cache full of good stuff, and how such an empty box can disappoint them after a long walk. This is why I wanted my final cache to be a real treasure for kids.

 

What should I do? Contact them privately? Post a note on the cache webpage?

These geocachers are known to be very good ones, some of them created lots of caches in the area, and they put kind comments on my cache pages. I do not want to offend them, and above all I do not know if four ones helped themselves in my cache. For sure, at least one of them decently traded my TB against another one, but the next cacher took the new TB for free.

 

I also do not know if I will refill the cache, and how to avoid such seizing in the future?

Any advice?

 

Thanks,

 

oliantoine

[+irisisleuk]

I understand your frustration, but there is not much you can do except to stay positive and keep on promoting the trade equal or up "rule".

We have several large caches which we check every now and then on goodies to exchange. I've never found more or better goodies in the cache, only less and also things that shouldn't be in a cache. We always put some new things in there, so we'll know the next cachers will enjoy our cache as well. We think setting an example might help other cachers to pay more attention on the swag as well.

 

When we go out caching and find am almost empty regular cache that we think is also suitable for children (so not the long multi's) we put some goodies in there as well (always have a bag with us). And we don't even have kids ourselves! 'Cause even now, after having found over 2000 caches, we still enjoy finding "real" treasures. It's the child inside of us I guess . We hardly ever take something, only when we find things we or our friends like to collect.But just browsing through fun things, to explore the cache is fun on its own.

 

If people, also adults, take goodies from your cache without putting something back, I think they are not used to finding caches with nice goodies and therefor have nothing with them to exchange. Consider it a compliment that they find your swag so interesting they wanted to take something along, maybe as a momento for their find. There are also cachers who don't have much money to spare and move goodies from caches to their own caches. But I also had a case where someone came back a month later and put in some goodies, because he had taken some but had nothing to put into the cache at the time of the find (and didn't want to disappoint his kids)

 

Is it right? No, it's not according to the trade equal or up slogan, but I don't get frustrated about it. Keep setting a good example and hopefully other cachers will pay more attention about nice swag as well. Really just see it as a compliment and try to maintain the standard of your caches.

 

In a note you can mention that you performed a maintance check and say you were disappointed so many goodies were already gone and that you hope the next cachers will help you by adding something instead of just taking stuff, so kids will really find a treasure box instead of an empty box.

 

About taking the TB: the trade equal and up motto is only for swag, not for trackables!!! Trackables are supposed to travel, so it's fine if someone takes a TB without putting one back. Otherwise trackables would stay way too long in caches and will never reach their goal.

[+stijnhommes]

What should I do? Contact them privately? Post a note on the cache webpage?

These geocachers are known to be very good ones, some of them created lots of caches in the area, and they put kind comments on my cache pages. I do not want to offend them, and above all I do not know if four ones helped themselves in my cache.

I would message the finders and ask them in what state they found the cache. That way you're not blaming them, but you still get the info you need.

Have you checked the paper log to see if anyone else came by who didn't log online?

 

For sure, at least one of them decently traded my TB against another one, but the next cacher took the new TB for free.

You can't do much about this one. You are allowed to take TB's as long as you keep them moving. If trading TBs was required, a lot of them would be stuck in place and not move at all.

[+MartyBartfast]

Is it possible that the cache was found by muggles who took all the goodies?

Perhaps you could send a private mail to the cachers who found it explaining that the cache has been emptied and asking whether there was much in it when they found it, you might then be able to work out which one took all the stuff, but when all's said and done there's not much you can do about it.

 

As others said it's perfectly OK to take a TB and not replace it with anything as they're not considered trade items.

[+Kryten]

Unfortunately "trade down" is becoming the norm. Placing a collection of broken McToys in your new caches may halt the decline.

[oliantoine]

When we go out caching and find am almost empty regular cache that we think is also suitable for children (so not the long multi's) we put some goodies in there as well (always have a bag with us).

That is also what I do... and what my own children decided to do as well.

 

In a note you can mention that you performed a maintance check and say you were disappointed so many goodies were already gone and that you hope the next cachers will help you by adding something instead of just taking stuff, so kids will really find a treasure box instead of an empty box.

Good idea. Will do.

 

About taking the TB: the trade equal and up motto is only for swag, not for trackables!!!

You're correct.

But TB and coins hosting takes part to the cache attractiveness.

Most of the time, when I take a TB or a coin out of a cache, I replace it with another one when it is relevant for the trackable mission. If not possible, then I log a "discovered" and let it in place.

 

I would message the finders and ask them in what state they found the cache. That way you're not blaming them, but you still get the info you need.

Have you checked the paper log to see if anyone else came by who didn't log online?

That is a very diplomatic way. I didn't thought at it. Good idea.

 

Is it possible that the cache was found by muggles who took all the goodies?

No I don't think the cache has been muggled. It is completely invisible from any path, you must know what to find to discover it.

Moreover, when I went for a check, the cache was properly hidden. I don't think muggler would have done the effort to re-hide the cache.

 

Thanks for all your answer, guys!

Edited September 21, 2012 by oliantoine

[+Andromeda321]

Perhaps I'm not entirely clear, but do you have to find all the other caches to find the bonus cache/ is the bonus cache Premium Member only? Even if you don't think so it sounds to me as if someone else unsavory who didn't make themselves known found the cache and cleared out a lot of it- put it this way, as an adult there's only so many sets of colored pencils I require.

[+Chokecherry]

Regardless of how attractive it makes your cache you cannot tell people they have to trade trackables. When I see a cache like that I liberate all the trackables because it simply becomes a prison. I cringe every single time my trackables end up in a cache where it is encouraged to trade for trackables because I know they will sit and stagnate. My trackables' purpose is not to make your cache look nice to people. Its purpose is to travel.

 

A cache that is interesting on it's own does not need trackables to make it attractive. Most big caches are attractive all on their own I find just by size alone.

[+cerberus1]

Regardless of how attractive it makes your cache you cannot tell people they have to trade trackables. When I see a cache like that I liberate all the trackables because it simply becomes a prison. I cringe every single time my trackables end up in a cache where it is encouraged to trade for trackables because I know they will sit and stagnate. My trackables' purpose is not to make your cache look nice to people. Its purpose is to travel.

 

A cache that is interesting on it's own does not need trackables to make it attractive. Most big caches are attractive all on their own I find just by size alone.

 

I agree.

Rarely grab TBs or coins anymore unless I notice someone asking to trade 'em on the cache page.

With colder weather approaching, a cache that's 10km away may sit a good part of the Winter along with it's (captive) TBs.

[+Manville Possum]

Regardless of how attractive it makes your cache you cannot tell people they have to trade trackables. When I see a cache like that I liberate all the trackables because it simply becomes a prison. I cringe every single time my trackables end up in a cache where it is encouraged to trade for trackables because I know they will sit and stagnate. My trackables' purpose is not to make your cache look nice to people. Its purpose is to travel.

 

A cache that is interesting on it's own does not need trackables to make it attractive. Most big caches are attractive all on their own I find just by size alone.

 

I have noted that my listings with trackables do get more visits, and other users seem to favor my PMO listings for dropping off their trackables. But to me geocaching is like real estate, it's all about the location and discription. I want a little insight about the area that you are taking me to and not just a LPC or something.

[+BAMBOOZLE]

Unfortunately "trade down" is becoming the norm. Placing a collection of broken McToys in your new caches may halt the decline.

 

Trading down ( or not at all....just taking ) has become an epidemic as has mishandling - losing - stealing - of travel bugs.

I don't see it getting any better.

[+the4dirtydogs]

I feel for you, this has happened to us a few times. One of the reason why I will not hide any more caches or replace the swag in the ones I have left.

[+Don_J]

When we go out caching and find am almost empty regular cache that we think is also suitable for children (so not the long multi's) we put some goodies in there as well (always have a bag with us).

That is also what I do... and what my own children decided to do as well.

 

In a note you can mention that you performed a maintance check and say you were disappointed so many goodies were already gone and that you hope the next cachers will help you by adding something instead of just taking stuff, so kids will really find a treasure box instead of an empty box.

Good idea. Will do.

 

About taking the TB: the trade equal and up motto is only for swag, not for trackables!!!

You're correct.

But TB and coins hosting takes part to the cache attractiveness.

Most of the time, when I take a TB or a coin out of a cache, I replace it with another one when it is relevant for the trackable mission. If not possible, then I log a "discovered" and let it in place.

 

I would message the finders and ask them in what state they found the cache. That way you're not blaming them, but you still get the info you need.

Have you checked the paper log to see if anyone else came by who didn't log online?

That is a very diplomatic way. I didn't thought at it. Good idea.

 

Is it possible that the cache was found by muggles who took all the goodies?

No I don't think the cache has been muggled. It is completely invisible from any path, you must know what to find to discover it.

Moreover, when I went for a check, the cache was properly hidden. I don't think muggler would have done the effort to re-hide the cache.

 

Thanks for all your answer, guys!

 

Although you don't believe that a muggle looted it, I would write a message to the finders telling them that you believe that it was muggled and apologize to them for not being able to see all the great swag you left for them to discover. The responses that you get may help you narrow down what happened. This way you are not pointing any fingers at anyone and won't cause a rift in the local geocaching community, but you will get the message across that you take this seriously and are paying attention to what is going on. It's a passive aggressive tactic, but it may just make that individual think twice the next time he sees a bunch of new swag in a cache.

 

It's also possible that all four rationalized that it's okay to just take a few things, no one will notice and there is still some stuff left. Take that attitude and multiply it and you end up with an empty cache.

[+Lieblweb]

I don't know if its already been mentioned.....

 

People who have access to the cache pages & coordinates could easily visit your caches, steal your items, and never log anything. Poof!! Items are gone and it looks like one of the 'finders' stole the loot.

[+OZ2CPU]

only way to REALLY find out what happened, is to hide your self near the cache, and check its contents constantly..

maybe it is easier to fill caches with less cool items, and just be happy.

[+BAMBOOZLE]

A local cacher had a giant ammo can packed with goodies and it was monitored by a camo'd game/hunting camera mounted nearby.

[+Jen-sniffer]

A local cacher had a giant ammo can packed with goodies and it was monitored by a camo'd game/hunting camera mounted nearby.

 

thats actually really funny, would be neat to watch everyone searching for your cache, also a little creepy at the same time!

[Luckless]

I don't put all my best stuff in the cache at once. I'll put inexpensive stuff like stickers, maybe some small plastic insects or animals (that come several in a bag for a dollar), cute refrigerator magnets, pencils, etc. and maybe one or two more expensive things (not much more expensive). Then after the cache has been visited a number of times I'll check on it and maybe add something nice as a big surprise for the next cacher.

I want people to trade for my expensive stuff even if they can't trade up because if that nice stuff is left in the cache too long it's apt to get broken or dirtied or rusted and become junk, so I just don't put expensive stuff out all at once. If cachers trade I expect them to leave the cache in nice shape with some nice swag so the next person will be happy to find it. Doesn't have to be expensive, most people know what they like to find- I let that be my guide. I'll often leave stuff if the cache has deteriorated whether I trade or not. For me it's about having something nice for the next person to find.

[+emmett]

.

 

Few things in life are guaranteed, but the plundering of caches by cachers is a sure thing, usually in less than a few months. They'll rob from it, leave the remaining contents a mess inside, and will often exercise little or no care in placing the container back in its spot just as you hid it. Save yourself some anguish. A container, a log book and some pens - that is all it is worth.

 

Those who say, "Stay positive," or "Be the change you want to see," have their head in the sand. I say, "Be smart, don't throw good money after bad." Nothing will change unless GC.com takes a serious interest in quality which is about when Hell will freeze over. In the case of swag, even a quality conscious Frog would have an uphill battle turning that problem around. Sad to say but people who play they game by whatever rules they want to make up, operating in an environment that encourages no accountability or standards, are not people who will treat your generosity with respect.

 

.

Edited September 25, 2012 by emmett