Bummer of a Break-in

[+Texas-Jacksons]

I have a sad story to share. Last week I flew home to California to visit my parents and to do a little Geocaching in the Gold Country. I went hiking near Nevada City to find a cache along the Yuba River and when I got back to my parents car, the drivers window was busted out and everything inside gone. I was parked in the trail parking lot, which is no more than a large turnout on the side of the highway. Lots and lots of traffic through there that Sunday, and no one said or saw a thing. 4 cars next to mine had also been broken into. A California State Park Ranger was already there writing reports. I wasn't gone for more than 20 minutes and they hit 4 cars... They got my Mom's custom golf clubs and found my purse with passport and checkbook under the seat. Luckly I had my wallet and all gear in my pack with me. I'm lucky they didn't try to mug me on the trail I suppose.

 

It is such a violation. My family wanted to go geocaching the next weekend and I had such a fear of another break in that I didn't even want to go.

 

This is my second theft related to Geocaching. The first cache that I hid was stolen within a few months. Since then I have only posted virtual caches.

 

I don't plan to let this devert me from geocaching, however I wanted to share this story as a heads up to everyone else. There is a difference between Friendliness and Trust. One is free, one is earned. There are some really rotten people out there in this world so, please be careful and cautious.

[+Doppler]

There are some truly wretched people in the world, Kimberly, and I'm sorry to hear that you've encountered one of them!

 

But please, don't let this sour you on Geocaching. This could have happened just as easily while shopping at the local mall -- or even in front of your house.

 

Er... don't lose any sleep over that one...

 

As for your stolen cache, well, that's one of the hazards of Geocaching. In a world where "finders keepers" is the standard, you have to expect that people ignorant of Geocaching might run off with the contents, no matter what the note enclosed says.

 

The only cure for that is to hide your caches well, and far enough away from human traffic that the chances of someone stumbling across it are minimal.

 

I consider that part of the challenge -- finding a hiding place which is obtainable by those in the know, but completely escapes the notice of non-cachers.

 

Anyhoo, know that we share your pain, and hope your future adventures are less traumatic!

 

-- Doppler

[+Rich in NEPA]

T-J, that's such a bummer! I know the feeling since I had a vehicle broken in to twice (same vehicle), ... once in the parking lot where I worked, and once at a restaurant.

 

Parks (including Nat'l Parks) and remote recreation areas have been prime locations for vehicle beak-ins for a long time because these dirtbags know the owners will be away from their cars for enough time for them to strike and get away unnoticed. Funny thing is, around here you don't hear about break-ins during the hunting seasons!!!

 

~Rich in NEPA~

 

 

=== A man with a GPS receiver knows where he is; a man with two GPS receivers is never sure. ===

[+threelanes]

We have an obvious parking spot in Austin to reach several caches along the Barton Creek Greenbelt. Its also a popular spot for auto-break ins. Most of us that have hidden caches in the area have included warnings in the cache description against parking there for this very reason.

 

When visiting from out-of-town, a little warning can be valuable. Sorry that you had the trouble.

 

Tom

[+MarkRobb]

I drive a beatup truck and leave it unlocked. Nothing of value is ever left behind.... It's sad that a person can't leave their car for 20 minutes.

 

Mark Robb

[+Jamie Z]

MarkRobb,

 

I've got a friend that has been using that technique for years. He actually leaves the keys in his car (in the glovebox) and he's never had a problem. Of course, if he ever did have a problem, it's not much loss, as his vehicle might only be worth a few hundred dollars.

 

I've said this before on these forums (well, the old forums), but I think the best car-theft deterrent is a manual transmission. Of course, that doesn't keep people from breaking windows and taking your belongings, but I read a while back about manual transmission cars are always at the bottom of the list, regardless of make or model.

 

Jamie

[+My Blue Heaven]

I hope that you don't let the theft of a cache stop you from hiding them in the future. I have hidden 3 so far and one of them has been taken.

 

I have 6 more that I am getting ready to hide just as soon as I find the right place. I try to keep one in the land cruiser at all times. Remember, other than the time it takes to put one together and hide, there is not usually anything of real value in them. Heck, I was more upset that my ammo can and log book was stolen than anything else in the cache.

 

So far I haven't had any problems with my vehicle. Other than trips that are quite aways from home we use out topless Toyota land cruiser and no one ever seems to bug it.

 

Scott

[wildkirsten]

I was with my daughter 2 hours ago and we drove past her cache. There was a mini van and a man with two small kids. I just got home ,and the cache is gone. I will give it a day before I archive it , but it is sad. I feel even worse having just seen the person taking it. I don't recall much , about the mini van... but it strikes me a lousy to take something marked up to be left... with your kids along. I guess we were lucky having this one over 6 or 7 months and having 20 + great visitors since it was located in a busy neighborhood.

[+misguided one]

Sorry to hear of the misfortune. I placed my second cache on Mar. 15th and by Apr. 5th it was gone. While it was in place it got 17 hits from cachers, and sadly the weekend before it was taken, travisl had his car broken into. ( I linked to the cache page, look thru the log entries for "Took police report, left broke glass" its somewhat amusing)

 

__________

Lost? I'm not lost. At least I don't think I'm lost, well............OK, maybe just a little.

 

[This message was edited by Misguided One on April 11, 2002 at 10:18 PM.]

 

[This message was edited by Misguided One on April 11, 2002 at 10:23 PM.]