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Stolen GPS returned


Killer B's

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About 3 weeks ago my GPS unit was stolen from my pickup truck overnight. According to the police officer who took the report about 16 or 17 cars had been broken into by what they figured was a group of teenagers that night and he gave very little hope of getting it back. He and I talked for about 15 minutes about geocaching and he was very interested in the sport. About 10 days later, on the same day it's replacement arrived I had a knock on the door and there was a lady who wanted to know if someone at this house had lost a piece of electronic gear. I told her about the theft of my GPS and she handed it to me and said they found it in the parking lot of their business a couple of days previously. Seems someone there knew how to operate it and they found my waypoint marked "Home" and followed it to me! I got my unit back and a coworker bought the new GPS from me and is now a dedicated geocacher himself.

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That's great ... I love the "accidental" cache you created by having a waypoint for your home. You should let the officer you spoke with know how it "found" it's way home.

 

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

Co-founder of the "NC/VA GEO-HOG ASSOCIATION"

... when you absolutely have to find it first!

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Huh, do you think that's safe?

 

For my cell, w/startup screen offering reward if found, I'd check the voicemail on it but not give out my home number as it could be traced home.

 

I specifically DON'T have my home address/number available in my Palm or GPS for the same reason. It's like not letting your car registration get into the wrong hands as they'd rob your home while you are at the airport/etc. Assumedly, if you can afford a cell phone, GPS, or PDA you've got stuff worth stealing at your house! Same thing with never having your SS# (or worse, card!) in your wallet.

 

I DO believe 90% of people will go out of their way to do good, but I'd rather keep my 'losses' small rather than compound them.

 

(The find keys things usually go to a PO Box a company runs, who then checks records to return to you...)

 

What do you think?

 

Randy

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Very cool! Reminds me of the individual in Germany who returned Dad's lost checkbook. That person traveled by train, bus, and finally on foot from the other side of the city to get it back to Dad.

 

There have always been mostly good, honest people in this world, if they can find a way to help you. icon_smile.gif

 

That Quack Cacher:

Lone Duck

 

When you don't know where you're going, every road will take you there.

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quote:
Originally posted by RJFerret:

Huh, do you think that's safe?

 

For my cell, w/startup screen offering reward if found, I'd check the voicemail on it but not give out my home number as it could be traced home.

 

I specifically DON'T have my home address/number available in my Palm or GPS for the same reason. It's like not letting your car registration get into the wrong hands as they'd rob your home while you are at the airport/etc. Assumedly, if you can afford a cell phone, GPS, or PDA you've got stuff worth stealing at your house! Same thing with never having your SS# (or worse, card!) in your wallet.

 

I DO believe 90% of people will go out of their way to do good, but I'd rather keep my 'losses' small rather than compound them.

 

(The find keys things usually go to a PO Box a company runs, who then checks records to return to you...)

 

What do you think?

 

Randy


 

Quite right - we all have a duty to become a hard target as far as I'm concerned.

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quote:
Originally posted by RJFerret:

I specifically DON'T have my home address/number available in my Palm or GPS for the same reason. It's like not letting your car registration get into the wrong hands as they'd rob your home while you are at the airport/etc. Assumedly, if you can afford a cell phone, GPS, or PDA you've got stuff worth stealing at your house!


 

Randy, I would be interested to see how you decorate your home so that to passers-by it looks like you can't afford a cell phone or a GPS.

 

Your example with the "car registration" happens when the car is parked at the long term parking at the airport - then the crook, who breaks into your car, knows your address and that you won't be home for awhile.

 

I have my home co-ordinates plugged into my GPS but I have specially programmed it not to tell crooks when I am going to be away for a long time. icon_wink.gif

 

I have never in my life learned anything from any man who agreed with me. geol4.JPG

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I recently went to the coordinates of what was supposed to be the first cache of a new geocacher in my area. He apparantly had gotten confused and posted the coordinates of his own front door. That's where I ended up. Surprise!

 

==============="If it feels good...do it"================

 

**(the other 9 out of 10 voices in my head say: "Don't do it.")**

 

.

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I don't know if 90% of the people will go out of their way to help, but I'm sure it is a pretty high number. A lot of people would like to help, but are afraid to get involved ex: fear of retribution by gangs or the offender, having to take time off work to appear in court as a witness.

The sad part is that the courts actually make being a criminal look good. Probation, short sentences, small fines. And the chances of actually getting caught and convicted are slim. Apathy on the part the police doesn't help either. A few years ago, my car was broken into. There were clear fingerprints all over the window. When I asked the responding officer about them, I was told:"You watch too much TV". The next day at a repair shop I mentioned this to two officers that happened to be there. They looked at the windows, and sent me to the station to meet a detective who told me that the prints should have been taken the night before. He took the prints and called me two weeks later to tell me that the guy had been caught and the prints tied him to my incident. The first officer gave the police a bad name in my book, but the rest returned my respect for them. 90% of police aren't bad, but the ones that are make them all look that way.

 

Maps?!? I don't need no stinking maps! I got coordinates!

 

There's a fine line between Geocaching and mental illness, Im just not sure which side of the line I'm on!

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quote:
Originally posted by sept1c_tank:

I recently went to the coordinates of what was _supposed_ to be the first cache of a new geocacher in my area. He apparantly had gotten confused and posted the coordinates of his own front door. That's where I ended up. _Surprise!


Did you log it as a find?? icon_smile.gif

 

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Free your mind and the rest will follow action-smiley-076.gif

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I have my phone numbers (more than 1 way to reach me) on my Clie and my cell phone with a note I will reward anyone who returns the lost property to me. Fortunately, my hardware is at much much higher risk of me dropping and breaking it than being stolen.

 

Interestingly just last night, I unknowingly dropped a credit card in a hotel I am staying at and within 15 minutes, I had a call from Security saying it was turned in.

 

I like the stuffbak sticker idea as well.

 

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Free your mind and the rest will follow action-smiley-076.gif

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If you buy the Stufbak stickers individually it's only about $2. I figure it's worth it even if i have a fraction of a chance to get it back. I even have them on 4 sets of keys. My car key will cost me about $70 + 30 programming to replace so a $25 reward is worth it. I think alot of people will return keys for $25, esp since it's so easy to do so.

 

They call a free # or enter it on the internet. They return it to stufbak (they send a pre-paid box so no cost to the finder) and then it gets returned to me. No need to give out my personal information.

 

So for $2, and a reqard I figure it's worth it. It's eyecatching too, most of my friends have noticed the sticker, esp the "REWARD" part.

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