Purloined V.II

[+Phronimos]

Hi guys, this is about something that concerns me sufficiently to cause me to seek assistance. How do I ask for investigation by GCHQ? I’ve asked my Reviewer who couldn’t help.

 

The first instance has occurred to one of my geocaches, *Pining for Pandas*. A new geocacher joined 11 Nov 2019. The next day ‘they’ found *Pining for Pandas* logging the find with, “haha”. That was the last find of that cache, and the last log of that cache, and it’s missing, goneburger.

 

My next concerns another of my geocachers *BOT Te Henui*...

**Another** new member joined 28 Dec 2019, and the following day found my cache with the log of a smiley emoji only. That cache is also missing with no finds or DNFs since.

 

**Both these new geocachers have not cached again!**

 

To me this is not a coincidence. I suspect there may have been a third attempt - on another of my more difficult Trads, *Titanic Error*. Yet another new member signed up 3 Jan 2020. On 9th February they DNF’d *Titanic Error*. That’s their ONLY attempted geocache. I’ve checked and the cache is still there, so I guess their inexperience hindered them on that occasion.

 

I’m concerned because these new geocachers all appear to be Verified with valid emails. The obvious question is, “perhaps they don’t know how to play the game, and are removing it instead of just logging it.” The corresponding answer is this was each their only geocache.

 

Thanks for any help, Phronimos

[+barefootjeff]

Maybe make your caches PMO so they'll at least have to pay for the privilege of destroying them. There was a similar incident near here a few years ago with someone calling themselves the Cache Smasher. With the app so easily available to all and sundry now, it's something that sadly will continue to happen from time to time.

[+Max and 99]

It's probably NOT a coincidence, but at this point I don't think there's anything HQ can do about it. I suggest making your caches PM.

 

We had our share of Cache Pirates who went around destroying local caches and leaving notes bragging that they took our stuff. It happens!

 

 

[+Phronimos]

I’m loathe to change my geocaches to PMO as I’m keen for everybody to be able to play our game; ordinary member and premium; young and able, older and less abled, and disabled; I’d love to create a cache for the blind if I could pull it together, but that’s not the point. 

Its about apparently Verified members being the possible culprits.

[+TriciaG]

"Verified" doesn't mean they went through a background check. It just means they have a valid email address.

 

Have you tried emailing or messaging them, welcoming them to the game, and very nicely asking if they moved your cache? "I'm glad you found my cache! Sometimes new cachers don't realize they're not supposed to move or take the cache. I just want to make sure you knew to put it back where you found it so that it's available for the next finder."

 

I wouldn't try, convict, and execute them without any solid evidence or chance of defense. Because muggles CAN and do find caches, so you very well could be blaming the wrong people.

 

Edit to add: HQ won't do anything. They don't have a task force for clueless or malicious newbies.

Edited February 11, 2020 by TriciaG

[+Max and 99]

8 minutes ago, TriciaG said:

"Verified" doesn't mean they went through a background check. It just means they have a valid email address.

 

Have you tried emailing or messaging them, welcoming them to the game, and very nicely asking if they moved your cache? "I'm glad you found my cache! Sometimes new cachers don't realize they're not supposed to move or take the cache. I just want to make sure you knew to put it back where you found it so that it's available for the next finder."

 

I wouldn't try, convict, and execute them without any solid evidence or chance of defense. Because muggles CAN and do find caches, so you very well could be blaming the wrong people.

 

Edit to add: HQ won't do anything. They don't have a task force for clueless or malicious newbies.

Fantastic advice. Well said! 

[+L0ne.R]

12 minutes ago, Phronimos said:

I’m loathe to change my geocaches to PMO as I’m keen for everybody to be able to play our game; ordinary member and premium; young and able, older and less abled, and disabled; I’d love to create a cache for the blind if I could pull it together, but that’s not the point. 

Its about apparently Verified members being the possible culprits.

 

I would disable the cache listings. Wait about 3 weeks then put out new containers and quietly enable your listings. In 3 weeks time they’ll probably have gotten bored with pirating cache containers. 

[+Phronimos]

Ok. thanks for the advice. Yes I’m aware it’s a verified email address. Same thing we’ve all been through.

Cheers

[+ras_oscar]

11 hours ago, TriciaG said:

HQ won't do anything. They don't have a task force for clueless or malicious newbies.

So the black helicopter has been retired permanently? that's a shame

 

Seriously, there are many possible  reasons a cache has not been found aside from theft by the last finder. Here are a few I can think of. Others may chime in with more:

1.  Nobody has tried it since (some remote caches only get a couple finds a year)

2.  The previous finder replaced it poorly and it was taken by a muggle.

3.  A squirrel carried it off. (yeah, really)

4.  It was replaced in a location other than the posted coordinates

5. 

The good news is people that maliciously steal caches are usually looking for attention., If you decline to give it to them they usually move on to other endeavors.

[+ras_oscar]

12 hours ago, Max and 99 said:

It's probably NOT a coincidence, but at this point I don't think there's anything HQ can do about it. I suggest making your caches PM.

 

We had our share of Cache Pirates who went around destroying local caches and leaving notes bragging that they took our stuff. It happens!

 

 

You could also make your caches platinum member only. Gives an extra level of protection since platinum members are leaders in the caching community invited by Groundspeak to apply for the designation.

[+Max and 99]

2 hours ago, ras_oscar said:

A squirrel carried it off. (yeah, really)

I had to start weighing down my tree cache hides because squirrels were knocking them out of holes!

[+ecanderson]

5 hours ago, ras_oscar said:

You could also make your caches platinum member only. Gives an extra level of protection since platinum members are leaders in the caching community invited by Groundspeak to apply for the designation.

In case anyone wonders how you apply for that, you don't.  As noted, it's by invitation only.  See here >>

 

[+bflentje]

On 2/11/2020 at 1:18 PM, ecanderson said:

In case anyone wonders how you apply for that, you don't.  As noted, it's by invitation only.  See here >>

 

 

Way to misguide noobie cachers with this complete platinum nonsense. Isn't this joke, what, 15 years old now?

[+The Jester]

11 minutes ago, bflentje said:

 

Way to misguide noobie cachers with this complete platinum nonsense. Isn't this joke, what, 15 years old now?

So says the person rejected for platinum membership. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sometimes the old jokes are the best.  I keep pulling up ones from my youth that the young people of today have never heard.

[+ras_oscar]

20 hours ago, bflentje said:

 

Way to misguide noobie cachers with this complete platinum nonsense. Isn't this joke, what, 15 years old now?

Yes. You area absolutely correct. The concept of platinum memberships is complete nonsense. Pease ignore my previous post.

 

Hey Jester, did you get your invite to the platinum members dinner yet"? Are you going, and if so can I get a ride?

[+ecanderson]

20 hours ago, bflentje said:

 

Way to misguide noobie cachers with this complete platinum nonsense. Isn't this joke, what, 15 years old now?

Hey, I didn't resurrect it!

[+ecanderson]

16 minutes ago, ras_oscar said:

Yes. You area absolutely correct. The concept of platinum memberships is complete nonsense. Pease ignore my previous post.

 

Hey Jester, did you get your invite to the platinum members dinner yet"? Are you going, and if so can I get a ride?

I was really considering it this year, but gc.com is getting cheap .. or at least I think that's the case.  They didn't offer to pay the airfare this year.

[+captnemo]

The first rule of platinum membership is you can't talk about platinum membership.

[+ras_oscar]

Diddn't you read my post a few above?  There ARE NO PLATINUM MEMBERSHIPS

 

Who have you been choosing as a reviewer for the caches you post? 

[+ecanderson]

As a Platinum Member, I am allowed to pick whichever reviewer I think most likely to approve my caches.  That's how I'm able to place my vacation caches in the Caribbean that are tended by business owners inside their properties without running afoul of several of the guidelines!

[+The Jester]

11 hours ago, ras_oscar said:

Yes. You area absolutely correct. The concept of platinum memberships is complete nonsense. Pease ignore my previous post.

 

Hey Jester, did you get your invite to the platinum members dinner yet"? Are you going, and if so can I get a ride?

Oh, did you post something?

 

 

Sure if you don't mind riding co-pilot in the platinum jet.

[+arisoft]

On 2/11/2020 at 4:22 AM, L0ne.R said:

 

I would disable the cache listings. Wait about 3 weeks then put out new containers and quietly enable your listings. In 3 weeks time they’ll probably have gotten bored with pirating cache containers. 

 

This is how I have managed to recover from similar incidents. Minimal or no reaction in cache logs about vandalism and replacing the cache after some weeks to make the destructive "hobby" boring enough.

[+TeamRabbitRun]

On 2/12/2020 at 6:19 PM, bflentje said:

 

Way to misguide noobie cachers with this complete platinum nonsense. Isn't this joke, what, 15 years old now?

 

Never gets old.