Do they get stolen?

[CheesePasty]

Hi guys, I've just been looking at geocaching shops pricing up geocoins/travel bugs/travel tags, they are all pretty expensive, it must be great to place one of these items into your cache hoping to track it and have fun following its destinations for a long time, however, they are expensive and desirable, if I placed one of these into my cache what are the chances of it being stolen? do people actually take these things out of a cache and collect them for themselves?

 

Thank you.

[+Panther&Pine]

Around 70% of the ones I've released into the wild have gone missing, I've managed to loose two of my own... I'm sure they'll turn up eventually.

Travel bugs are cheaper than geocoins, but they generally have things attached to them that might be interesting.

So far my best traveled wild bug is one I never expected to make more than a few jumps, my geico bug is alive and well in the German eddy.

Most of my coins are for pretties, not travel. But I do hVe some out there, some that came with copy tags (one with a typo).

[+Gitchee-Gummee]

Geocoins are far more susceptible to theft than are Travel Bugs or Travel Tags. They often are quite nice and 'pretty'. It is understandable that somebody might desire some of them for their own... hence, they are sometimes kept -- as in thievery.

 

TB's and tags generally don't hold a candle (appearance-wise) to geocoins, therefore are less likely to be kept (intentionally).

They do however, often go missing.

Just guessing, but I think the largest number that go missing are because of somebody who recently start geocaching, did it a few times and just quit -- the fact that they had picked up a number to TB's and hadn't moved them on is beside the point (to them).

The next larger number is simply that geocachers simply lose them -- on the trail, in their vehicle, at home, etc.

Some are taken by muggles (non-cachers) -- you can choose their reasoning...

Finally there are the really, really cute TB's that fall into the hands of kids either by intent (the parent can't bear to take it from their kid "'cuz they really love it") or by accident -- the parent unaware that the kid took it. It happens... it happens more than most suspect or will admit to.

 

Of our missing seven TB's, three were last picked up by single adults; one by a beginning high schooler; one by a muggle; and one disappeared with a cache was destroyed; the other just plain disappeared from an active cache, unlogged.

[+Manville Possum]

One seller on eBay has been selling some recently listed as "un-adoptable".

 

Edit to add:

 

A quick count shows 14 of 15 of mine released are missing. One is still moving in Germany.

Edited December 25, 2014 by Manville Possum Hunters

[+wmpastor]

After posts 2, 3 & 4, I guess the OP won't get a TB....

 

[+kunarion]

Hi guys, I've just been looking at geocaching shops pricing up geocoins/travel bugs/travel tags, they are all pretty expensive, it must be great to place one of these items into your cache hoping to track it and have fun following its destinations for a long time, however, they are expensive and desirable, if I placed one of these into my cache what are the chances of it being stolen? do people actually take these things out of a cache and collect them for themselves?

Believe it or not, many alleged Geocachers have no particular moral sense, and will take most anything to keep, using "Geocaching" as a way to materially enrich themselves. Caches become emptied of every nice thing, without a word in the logs about what happened.

 

If you buy a Trackable to place in a cache, consider a Travel Bug dogtag or another “travel tag” such as Cachekinz. Securely attach a small item. That's the least expensive Trackable. If it disappears, you may make a tag (laminated print-out or painted or engraved with the tracking number), and place it again. You could use the tracking number in fun ways that don't involve giving your Trackable to the most brazen thief.

 

And if you don't want to risk losing it, or don't like the uncertainty of TB travel, you could instead buy a cool Geocoin or two and keep them.

 

I don't have closure when my Trackables vanish, so I can only guess. But I guess that TBs are coveted for the toy and the tag discarded, while a Geocoin is coveted for the coin. So a Geocoin may be more likely to turn up someday, than a Travel Bug. If that's the case, it could take a generation or two for the coin to return, when by some genetic fluke, an honest person comes along who understands why stealing is wrong, and tries to make things right.

 

But you should understand that even if it travels just fine, you will probably never get your Trackable back again.

Edited December 25, 2014 by kunarion

[lipinski clan]

Do TB's have to be attached to something? can they just be sent out on their own?

I would love to find a TB and help it on its journey but I have not as yet found any.

[+Harry Dolphin]

My statistics: I have registered 48 trackable. 6 are still in my possession.

Of the 42 released:

27 are in 'unknown'. Of the remaining 15:

7 moved in 2014.

5 last moved in 2013.

1 in 2012.

1 in 2011.

1 has been in the possession of a geocacher since 2006.

 

3 of the 'unknown' disappeared out of the cache I put them in. 1 definitely muggled. 1 probably muggled. 1 definitely stolen by a geocacher.

 

On the other fin, one that I released in 2004 has travelled 24000 miles. Its first goal was to go from New Jersey to my brother in Washington. (That was actually a quick trip.) He rereleased it in a cache in the Czech Republic to visit my sister in Maine. When she got it five years later, she rereleased it into a cache in France to return to New Jersey. Five years later, it is in England, with plans to fly to Canada soon (we hope.)

 

Another released in 2004 has travelled 47000 miles (well, I do wonder about the trip from Germany to South Africa to Florida and back to Germany.) It seems to have slept in someone's car for the last two years, before being set out again.

 

So, the odds are not good, but you never know.

[+ngrrfan]

Do TB's have to be attached to something? can they just be sent out on their own?

I would love to find a TB and help it on its journey but I have not as yet found any.

No they do not need to be attached to something.

 

In my case, the attached item has a small story about it and the tag merely allows me to see where the item is.

[+Bear and Ragged]

Do TB's have to be attached to something? can they just be sent out on their own?

I would love to find a TB and help it on its journey but I have not as yet found any.

 

"TB" tends to be a generic term.

 

Usually taken to mean "Trackable"

 

Easiest way to make a 'trackable' and follow its travels is to attach something to a "Dog Tag"

 

You can fix anything you want, but just remember that it needs to be able to be carried, and fit in a cache...

(You could even send out the tag on its own.)

 

Also, don't attach anything of value, or that has 'value' (Sentimental value) to you or a family member.

 

You can send out any item without a tag, but there is no guarantee that you will be able to follow its travels.

Edited December 26, 2014 by Bear and Ragged

[+Scratch Ankle]

I don't have but one TB that is currently out. It got reported as missing but later reappeared taken from the cache that it was verified missing from. It disappeared again a few months ago. I figure lost TBs are the cost of playing the game. If the cost is too high, don't play.

 

I do not ascribe to the theory that thieves get into geocaching just to steal trinkets like my $5 TB. There are more lucrative targets. That said, sure people do take things because they are interesting even though they know they shouldn't. They let their kids take that interesting TB because they don't want to put up with the kid screaming because they won't let them keep it. However, there is an old saying about not ascribing to malice that which can be more easily be explained by stupidity. Include ignorance (not knowing something as opposed to refusing to know something), laziness, and carelessness with that. Some people do not know how to deal with TBs and either don't bother to find out or don't understand it when they do try. For example, the son of a friend visiting here from out of state said he had found a cache a couple years ago and took it to research what it was. He "understood" from his research that he was supposed to move the cache to a new place. Then he couldn't figure out how he was supposed to record having done so and quit worrying about geocaching. Then there is laziness and carelessness where the TB gets misplaced or lost.

 

My family is guilty of laziness and carelessness. My son and I found and took two TBs from one cache. He had just found a real job -- finally -- in a city a couple of hours away and planned on releasing it there. In dealing with the new job and relocation he never got around to even record finding the cache mjuch less the TB which was a new experience for him. About 6 weeks later I found out and grabbed it from him. I posted the circumstances and apologized and promised that I would release it soon. However, when I went to release it at a cache I dropped it and it fell down between my seat and the console. I couldn't reach it with anything I had with me so went home. I then couldn't see the TB at all and spent a long time searching and could not locate it. I did this several times over the next month and finally decided I was going to have to offer to replace it for the owner and happened to drop something. When I reached for it I put my hand right on the TB.

 

Also, caches get lost and any bugs then "disappear". No malice involved -- see the post below this one titled "found an old cache with a bug".

Edited December 26, 2014 by Scratch Ankle

[+Paper__Moon]

I have a quick question - I just spotted someone's travel bug for sale on ebay

 

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Gocaching-Travel-Bug-/261716801983?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item3cef8979bf

 

It looks like it was placed in the person's cache and now they are selling it - is this allowed? If not - who do I report it to - I made a log on the trackable bugs page - but is that enough?

[+Seaglass Pirates]

How did you identify the exact tag the number isn't showing? Unless since your post they have edited their eb*y page.

 

Just inform eb*y that it is not that persons property. However they could then throw it in the bin. If you are able - buy it then claim the money back through PayPal dispute. They will uphold your claim as it's easy to prove who it belongs to. They will also reprimand the seller. Oh and paypal are now owned by fleabay. So it's a simple sort.

[+Paper__Moon]

How did you identify the exact tag the number isn't showing? Unless since your post they have edited their eb*y page.

 

Just inform eb*y that it is not that persons property. However they could then throw it in the bin. If you are able - buy it then claim the money back through PayPal dispute. They will uphold your claim as it's easy to prove who it belongs to. They will also reprimand the seller. Oh and paypal are now owned by fleabay. So it's a simple sort.

 

Oh believe me - she had the picture with the tracking number on it up yesterday - she took that picture down and now she has "ended" the auction!

I would hope no one puts anything into her cache anymore and I hope she doesn't try to sell things that aren't hers on ebay anymore either.

[+FlyinBri76]

I had two of my first four TBs go missing. I took the time to compare notes of the last person to log visit, to the apparent "gone missing" date. I kindly e-mailed each of the apparent holders to simply request if they had any knowledge of the bugs. No response. 3 months later sent a similar request. Still no response. Just a bummer, as my grand children like to track the movement. Travel bugs are a fun part of the game, just continue to have faith there are more honest cachers the dishonest ones out there. BTW, the one with a nice souvenir on it has made it to Europe and back.

[+Panther&Pine]

I had two of my first four TBs go missing. I took the time to compare notes of the last person to log visit, to the apparent "gone missing" date. I kindly e-mailed each of the apparent holders to simply request if they had any knowledge of the bugs. No response. 3 months later sent a similar request. Still no response. Just a bummer, as my grand children like to track the movement. Travel bugs are a fun part of the game, just continue to have faith there are more honest cachers the dishonest ones out there. BTW, the one with a nice souvenir on it has made it to Europe and back.

You can reuse the code, and send that out.

[+J Grouchy]

Around 70% of the ones I've released into the wild have gone missing, I've managed to loose two of my own... I'm sure they'll turn up eventually.

Travel bugs are cheaper than geocoins, but they generally have things attached to them that might be interesting.

So far my best traveled wild bug is one I never expected to make more than a few jumps, my geico bug is alive and well in the German eddy.

Most of my coins are for pretties, not travel. But I do hVe some out there, some that came with copy tags (one with a typo).

 

I wonder what the actual percentage is that get stolen...

I'm betting it's greater than 70%.

 

I would probably never actually buy a geocoin because of that.

[+Panther&Pine]

Around 70% of the ones I've released into the wild have gone missing, I've managed to loose two of my own... I'm sure they'll turn up eventually.

Travel bugs are cheaper than geocoins, but they generally have things attached to them that might be interesting.

So far my best traveled wild bug is one I never expected to make more than a few jumps, my geico bug is alive and well in the German eddy.

Most of my coins are for pretties, not travel. But I do hVe some out there, some that came with copy tags (one with a typo).

 

I wonder what the actual percentage is that get stolen...

I'm betting it's greater than 70%.

 

I would probably never actually buy a geocoin because of that.

The first thing to do to figure that out would be to figure out what percent of activated geocoins are released into the wild. Without that info it is hard to know.

[CheesePasty]

Thank you so much guys, thanks thanks thanks, I did decide to buy 3 travel bugs in the end (trackables), they were not expensive and after reading all of your replies thought it would be ok for me to buy 3 run of the mill travel bugs to put out there rather than a desirable geocoin.

I think it will be fun for me to keep an eye on the TB journey, if they do get stolen then that is fair enough, it was worth the little expense to give it a go.

Thanks again to every one of you guys for your input, you guys are awesome, I have 3 TB, 2 will go into other peoples cache with instructions on what those TBs want to do, and the other TB will go into my own very first cache to be planted soon, dunno whether to put it into my first ever cache as an unregistered first to find prize, or to put it in there already registered and with instructions.