My new letterbox cache stolen

[+makgonz_JOSE]

I just need some advice.  

I recently placed a large letterbox at a church of which I had permission to place.  It was recently stolen and I just replaced it today.

I also found out that this church had cameras going outside.  I just seen the video and know who took it.  My question is what should I do next? 

[+niraD]

27 minutes ago, makgonz said:

I also found out that this church had cameras going outside.  I just seen the video and know who took it.  My question is what should I do next? 

A lot depends on who it was that took it. For example, you'd talk very differently to a church custodian who didn't realize it was supposed to be there, than you would to a bored preacher's kid who got into some mischief.

[+lee737]

2 hours ago, niraD said:

A lot depends on who it was that took it.

+1.... can you identify them or have you just got footage of a person stealing it?

 

[+makgonz_JOSE]

12 hours ago, niraD said:

A lot depends on who it was that took it. For example, you'd talk very differently to a church custodian who didn't realize it was supposed to be there, than you would to a bored preacher's kid who got into some mischief.

There is no custodian for the church.  And the preachers kids are over 40.  Nobody from the church took it.

 

10 hours ago, lee737 said:

+1.... can you identify them or have you just got footage of a person stealing it?

 

I can identify them.  It was another cacher who found it before like almost right after it was published.  She went back and stole the cache containers.

[+lee737]

If it was me then, I'd out her on our area's social media platforms..... let her explain herself.....

[+makgonz_JOSE]

5 hours ago, lee737 said:

If it was me then, I'd out her on our area's social media platforms..... let her explain herself.....

That's kinda hard. Lol.  I unfriended her like a year ago and blocked her.  I was kinda tired of her negative attitude towards everything.  

And besides, what's there to explain about her stealing the cache and TB/swag containers?  

Just to throw this out there, she has a bad reputation in my state about not signing logs and claiming them.  On top of that and other things.  

[+niraD]

57 minutes ago, makgonz said:

That's kinda hard. Lol.  I unfriended her like a year ago and blocked her.  I was kinda tired of her negative attitude towards everything.  

And besides, what's there to explain about her stealing the cache and TB/swag containers?  

Just to throw this out there, she has a bad reputation in my state about not signing logs and claiming them.  On top of that and other things.  

One of the best things about geocaching is that anyone can play. One of the worst things about geocaching is that anyone can play.

[+CAVinoGal]

23 hours ago, makgonz said:

I just seen the video and know who took it.  My question is what should I do next? 

 

5 hours ago, makgonz said:

  I unfriended her like a year ago and blocked her.  I was kinda tired of her negative attitude towards everything.  

 . . . 

Just to throw this out there, she has a bad reputation in my state about not signing logs and claiming them.  On top of that and other things.  

 

It sounds to me like you don't want to deal with her ... so don't, unless you want your container back.  Confront her and ask for it back. If she denies it, or you simply don't want to deal with it, archive the cache with a note that it 's not a good location, too easily muggled, whatever   (I'm not sure if I would mention the cacher by name or not, not knowing the personalities involved).  Then move on.  Place another, or not, it's up to you.

 

I find it sad that some would ruin the game for others and be so petty as to steal caches, but I know it happens.

[+cerberus1]

11 hours ago, makgonz said:

I can identify them.  It was another cacher who found it before like almost right after it was published.  She went back and stole the cache containers.

6 hours ago, makgonz said:

Just to throw this out there, she has a bad reputation in my state about not signing logs and claiming them.  On top of that and other things.  

 

Maybe it's just me, but I'd send a mail to Geocaching HQ, and tell them you have video of who it is, and you've had issues with them in the past.

I don't think the hobby wants a person like this playing.  The downside may be all future caches of yours (if they're ejected) will have to be PMO.

We've heard of cache maggots receiving charges of stealing another's property (one in NY state), but not much happens over it.

 

[+MNTA]

Sue her in small claims court. Would make for an interesting episode of Judge Judy.

[+Joe_L]

Are you certain that the person who took the cache is the cacher you suspect?  (How good is the video quality?)

 

A member of the congregation may have taken it without knowing that it was allowed to be there.  Or they asked the wrong person about it.  And the gave it to the wrong person.  (If permission was granted by, say, the pastor, the pastor might not have mentioned it to the secretary or council.)
 

Does it make any sense that the cacher you suspect would steal your cache? Have they done things like this before?

 

[+makgonz_JOSE]

On 5/4/2023 at 2:34 PM, cerberus1 said:

 

Maybe it's just me, but I'd send a mail to Geocaching HQ, and tell them you have video of who it is, and you've had issues with them in the past.

I don't think the hobby wants a person like this playing.  The downside may be all future caches of yours (if they're ejected) will have to be PMO.

We've heard of cache maggots receiving charges of stealing another's property (one in NY state), but not much happens over it.

 

What's PMO?

 

On 5/5/2023 at 7:36 AM, Joe_L said:

Are you certain that the person who took the cache is the cacher you suspect?  (How good is the video quality?)

 

A member of the congregation may have taken it without knowing that it was allowed to be there.  Or they asked the wrong person about it.  And the gave it to the wrong person.  (If permission was granted by, say, the pastor, the pastor might not have mentioned it to the secretary or council.)
 

Does it make any sense that the cacher you suspect would steal your cache? Have they done things like this before?

 

 

It's pretty clear and I know their vehicle.  Most everyone in the church knows of it being there.  

On 5/4/2023 at 1:47 PM, CAVinoGal said:

 

 

It sounds to me like you don't want to deal with her ... so don't, unless you want your container back.  Confront her and ask for it back. If she denies it, or you simply don't want to deal with it, archive the cache with a note that it 's not a good location, too easily muggled, whatever   (I'm not sure if I would mention the cacher by name or not, not knowing the personalities involved).  Then move on.  Place another, or not, it's up to you.

 

I find it sad that some would ruin the game for others and be so petty as to steal caches, but I know it happens.

 Sad thing I don't wanna  archive it.  It's a large letterbox and a pretty good one IMO.  I've gotten quite a few FP for it.  So I wanna keep it, but don't wanna waste money on it for keep replacing it.  Sad thing is, they took the container and the other container which had a good 10 TBs in them and now they gone too.  So not just ruined the game for me and people in my area.  But thise TBs are not gonna travel anymore more than likely.

[+niraD]

22 minutes ago, makgonz said:

What's PMO?

PMO = Premium Member Only

 

See the Help Center article Premium-only caches.

[+lee737]

5 hours ago, bflentje said:

 

Public humiliation? That'll solve the world's problems for sure.

There might be less thieves in the world if we did a bit more of it....

[+baer2006]

On 5/4/2023 at 8:58 AM, makgonz said:

I can identify them.  It was another cacher who found it before like almost right after it was published.  She went back and stole the cache containers.

Wow, that's quite a bummer !

 

Anyway, if I were in your situation, I would privately confront the thief (via all available channels, i.e. e-mail and GS "Message Center") that I know they have stolen my property, and that I have very good (i.e. useful in court) evidence for it. Where I live (and I expect it to be the same in the USA) a theft is a theft, no matter how big the material value of the stolen items is. I would make it clear, that if the stolen cache and its contents (incl. TBs) is not returned, I would seriously think of contacting a lawyer. I agree that this will not help your relations with the thieving cacher, but it seems that this is a lost cause anyway.

[+cerberus1]

On 5/4/2023 at 3:04 AM, lee737 said:

If it was me then, I'd out her on our area's social media platforms..... let her explain herself.....

Said a few times here IIRC...     Tell people.

We were newbs and simply because everyone else locally found the caches, when we'd go to, or come from a cache, it'd be gone.

Locals in that area were accusing us of theft, and we were about ready to give up this hobby. 

Anyway... I met the cache maggot on trail, the outline of a 50cal in his tiny backpack a giveaway.

Introductions made, I had a name, and I asked him why he was stealing caches.  Let everyone know who the maggot was, with all info.

He moved shortly after, landlord (also a cacher) found shelves full of caches and trackables when doing his search for the security back.

We thought he was done until all in our ammo can series went missing in state game lands.

Turns out he was working with the game commission to graduate in environmental studies. 

The other 2/3rds checked around, and the game commission said we were littering, and that geocaching wasn't an "approved" use.

She went to Harrisburg with another cacher who worked for the game commission, showed that before his new position their trusted new employee was a thief, explained this hobby in detail, and after some talking got this hobby approved on record throughout the state.

The cache maggot was canned from his position, and last we heard moved out West, where he probably fits in perfectly...  

[+MNTA]

I'm going to have to agree with @cerberus1 You need to confront but do so gently and with respect. Kindly ask if they removed the cache from the property. If they deny indicate the high quality video footage. If they say they were picking up trash, reply again nicely, that you had permission from the land owner and that the cache and it's contents are your property. If they refuse file a police report. If they say they threw it away then it is up to you to ask for compensation or not. Ask that it does not happen again. Now in this case it does not seem to be a problem but I've seen many a cache archived because of nearby landowners not happy with cachers lurking in their immediate area or no legal(safe) parking except on their property

 

Good luck please let us know how it goes. 

[+makgonz_JOSE]

On 5/7/2023 at 3:42 PM, niraD said:

PMO = Premium Member Only

 

See the Help Center article Premium-only caches.

This was a premium cache.  And of course they are a premium member.

 

[+lee737]

7 hours ago, makgonz said:

This was a premium cache.  And of course they are a premium member.

 

So this clearly isn't someone who 'might have been throwing away rubbish' or accidentally did anything, she is straight up a thief.... a cache maggot. Report her, with the footage, to HQ. If I was confident the footage was clear enough, I probably might not even confront her about it. Why bargain with a thief?