Might this cut down on plundering?

[+geospotter]

In one of the two threads regarding plundering/vandalism a post noted that in one case the vandals took the box but left the contents. They asked "what kind of person would do that?" My immediate thought was a geocacher in need of a container! Actually it could be anyone for any number of reasons, but here's my thought --

 

When placing a cache, why not permanently stamp your initials or some other identifying mark into the metal of the container. Something that can't be covered up with paint. If it gets stolen, post a notice here along with the initials (or mark). If it shows up anywhere else you probably have your culprit.

 

It might be best to stamp it in plain sight on the top of the container so that would be thieves would know that they cannot re-use the container (much like etching car windows).

 

It won't prevent all plundering, but it might make a small dent

 

[This message was edited by geospotter on April 17, 2002 at 05:20 AM.]

[+Renegade Knight]

Funny you should mention that. A few years ago I went to a print shop to get some business cards. While I was there I found a sheep herders staff laying in the parking lot. It was oak and painted with blue rings and had the owners initials carved in it. It has been the best walking stick I've ever owned.

 

Still my last cache was an ammo box with my geocaching name clearly printed on it. It's not in any danger of fading in the sunlight (it's in a cave). We shall see how long it lasts.

[kablooey]

I really doubt that there are many boxes being stolen by fellow Geocache hiders. (Maybe somebody who has done so can speak up and prove me wrong? :-)

 

I think those who hide caches know how much work, time, money, and effort it takes to create a good cache and would be loath to do anything to destroy somebody else's work.

 

Right now, I'm 100% sure that my three plundered caches have been the work of non-Geocachers. It's so hard to find good urban hiding places.

[kablooey]

I really doubt that there are many boxes being stolen by fellow Geocache hiders. (Maybe somebody who has done so can speak up and prove me wrong? :-)

 

I think those who hide caches know how much work, time, money, and effort it takes to create a good cache and would be loath to do anything to destroy somebody else's work.

 

Right now, I'm 100% sure that my three plundered caches have been the work of non-Geocachers. It's so hard to find good urban hiding places.

[+tslack2000]

Stamping your metal containers may or may not cut down on the theft of your container, but do it anyway. As noted by a cacher at a recent Utah Event Cache, when there is a fire in the area of any given cache, the paint and any other identifying marks that distinguish it as a geocache are burnt up. What is left is a metal container that must be treated as if it were a bomb. If you stamp identifying marks into the metal container, it may still be recognized as a geocache. Of course you will want to stamp something less cryptic than just your initials...something more along the lines of www.geocaching.com and your email address.

 

When the authorities have to blow up our containers because they think it is a bomb, it costs the tax payers a lot of money.

 

Semi-related, I thought I'd share.

 

Tyler Slack's Geocaching in Utah

[+tslack2000]

Stamping your metal containers may or may not cut down on the theft of your container, but do it anyway. As noted by a cacher at a recent Utah Event Cache, when there is a fire in the area of any given cache, the paint and any other identifying marks that distinguish it as a geocache are burnt up. What is left is a metal container that must be treated as if it were a bomb. If you stamp identifying marks into the metal container, it may still be recognized as a geocache. Of course you will want to stamp something less cryptic than just your initials...something more along the lines of www.geocaching.com and your email address.

 

When the authorities have to blow up our containers because they think it is a bomb, it costs the tax payers a lot of money.

 

Semi-related, I thought I'd share.

 

Tyler Slack's Geocaching in Utah

[+VentureForth]

Frankly, I don't think that Geocachers are the ones responsible for removing ammoboxes.

 

Ammoboxes are cool. Period. Anyone would love to have one for some reason or another. They are great air-tight storage containers. I know my local Army/Navy store goes through them quite quickly. Since I started buying from them, I can easily say they've sold over 100 to other people. Since I'm still the only person in my county to place a cache, I'm pretty sure that they aren't Geocachers buying 'em up.

 

If something is cool enough to buy, it's cool enough to steal.

 

The one experience I had with "took the ammocan, left a Bud can" was in the middle of a busy park. Undoubtedly someone either spied someone else caching, or they just stumbled across it (it wasn't THAT well hidden.

 

For those kinds of people, there is just no helping. Perhaps a solution might be to give street directions (sorry, not coordinates) to the nearest Army/Navy store with their price for ammo cans: "Please don't take this container. Pretty Please! If you want a beautiful, useful, cool container like this, it only costs $6 at the Army/Navy store down on Centerville Ave."

 

Hey, it may not work, but it could keep honest folks honest.

 

I wonder if a multi-lingual religious tract would help? Hmmm...

 

---------------

Go! And don't be afraid to get a little wet!

[+geospotter]

Sorry, I still think it's a good suggestion.

 

I agree that urban cache plundering is probably not geocachers.

 

Perhaps permanently stamping it with something like "THIS CONTAINER BELONGS TO xxxxx" will make it less appealing to non-geocachers as well.

 

I know it won't stop 100% of the thieves (nothing will). We can't stop all crime, but we try to take little bites out of it, here and there, whenever we can. Hopefully, the bites add up.

 

Let's hear more suggestions about how we CAN deter plundering instead of just lamenting about the problem.

 

Any ideas?

[BassoonPilot]

So many of them don't even qualify as "hidden." I've seen ammo boxes left out in the open, or placed beneath a bush but clearly visible from one or more directions. I've seen them placed in the most unnatural looking piles of twigs or rocks.

 

Cache owners should not be surprised when caches like that go missing, and I agree in most cases these caches are plundered by disinterested parties. Maybe etched/engraved containers would be effective in some of those cases.

 

But when an ammo box hidden like the one from "Alluvial Material" goes missing, the loss can only be attributed to actions of geocachers . . . either a finder who was far from discreet, or one who is seeking revenge for some perceived "wrong."

 

Marking cache containers would do nothing to deter such an individual, whose motive and goal is to wreak havoc and eliminate the cache. I suspect that type of individual has no interest in the container or its contents . . . I wouldn't be surprised if such an individual threw the container unopened into the nearest river/lake or off the nearest cliff.

[The Artful Dodger]

to prevent (or at least reduce) plundering is:

 

When you hide the cache, will it survive all seasons? Last year, I hid a good container behind a bushy hedge - it was well hidden. Confident, I expected year long Logs. It was plundered... the reason? Winter came around and reduced that big bushy hedge to a few branches and debris. My prized hiding place was more exposed than a presidential scandal!!

 

Secondly, dont leave the cache exposed in the open - even if it was off the beated track. El Garmino's Law of Geocaching states... "If a cache container is not suitably covered and hidden - it will attract all unwanted visitors"