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Car vandalized while geocaching


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This is the latest log from one of our caches.

 

User comments:

We found the cache after much looking around. The snow was very crusty and we almost gave up. One final go-round turned it up. It was in good shape. The weather was crystal clear and COLD!Thanks for the cache. {:-)] One bad note and WORD OF WARNING to all cachers anywhere--we returned to our car, (parked at a legitimate parking area, very near the road and at a traffic signal) and found out that the car had been vandalized. Someone had broken out the passenger window and had stolen my "caching bag" and a small backpack. The police officer indicated that this is not a novel occurance. So, keep stuff out of sight!!

 

It was sad to read a log that someone could do this in broad daylight in an area that is so nice.

It's totally wrong and disgusting that this stuff happens. icon_redface.gif When I go caching I wasn't too worried about someone breaking into the car or truck and I usually don't lock the doors. After reading that log, I have changed my mind and always will lock the doors and keep everything out of sight.

 

I hope this doesn't keep people from going to the cache; it really is a remote area.

 

Wrong place, wrong time? icon_confused.gif

 

Duane

Upinyachit

icon_smile.gif

 

Our feet go where the caches are! feet.gif

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Locking the doors doesn't really stop anybody. Often these guys break the windows without checking the doors.

 

I went to college in Rochester. Its a tough town.

 

Lack of planning on your part does not constitute an emergency on mine.

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The truth is, geocachers are just a small slice out of the pie of life. They have good and bad things happen to them, just like everyone else. I remember reading something very close to that story in the forums a year or so ago. Think it was King Pellinore that time. A few people have posted having their car/truck stolen, and some the GPS.

Even though as a whole geocachers seem MUCH nicer then the avg Joe on the street, don't ever forget we still play our little game in the real world. In the real world bad things happen to good people. Sucks, but thats life. You make the best of it and keep caching along.

 

Tae-Kwon-Leap is not a path to a door, but a road leading forever towards the horizon.

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quote:
Originally posted by Rygel:

Locking the doors doesn't really stop anybody. Often these guys break the windows without checking the doors.


No, locking the doors just keeps honest people honest. But, like Logscaler said, if you leave your car open and stuff gets stolen, the insurance company won't cover you. Guess you need to decide if the deductable and premium increase is worth it, or just leave the car open and let them take stuff, but not break your windows or damage your locks.

 

Tae-Kwon-Leap is not a path to a door, but a road leading forever towards the horizon.

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quote:
I went to college in Rochester. Its a tough town.

 

The only thing tough about this city is the weather. Im not sure what the stats are on criminal activity in Rochester, or where we stand in the safest place to live in the USA, but this is the first bad experience that Rochestarians

have had caching that I have heard of. Our family will continue to go caching, even without a weapon. (Remember that thread? icon_rolleyes.gif) I am not trying to start a conflict either, but I just like to keep my positve attitude.

 

quote:
One more reason to not post coordinates for parking spaces

 

All a potential crook has to do is watch this web site, and find the easy places to find a car.


 

I highly doubt that a thief is going to watch this website to steal from cars. That would be pretty hard up.

 

Duane

Upinyachit

icon_smile.gif

 

Our feet go where the caches are! feet.gif

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Believe me, I know the feeling. I went geocaching last July and my truck was broken into. I had just gotten my new GPSr and I was anxious to try it out, so I went caching near my work after I had gotten off on a Saturday.

 

The bad news was that I had all of my company stuff in the car since I was on my way home from work. I lost a Laptop, Palm Pilot, Calculator, two cell phones and all of the other stuff I had in my laptop bag. I know I was stupid to leave all that stuff in the car, but what can I say.

 

I had already had a bad cache experience that day so I guess you could say that it was really not my day. If you want to read the whole story, look at my July 20th, 2002 log here.

 

The good news was that my company got me a new better laptop and Palm to replace the stolen ones. Needless to say, I don't leave them in the truck when I go geocaching.

 

RM

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It happens. A friend of mine was out hiking and left his wallet with over $100 and his credit cards in his glove compartment and a case of cassettes (back when they were valuable). He also has a 12 pack of Budweiser sitting on the back seat. He arrived back at his car to find his window broken and the 12 pack of Bud gone (no accounting for taste), but all his casettes and his wallet were still there.

 

A government that is big enough to give you all you want is big enough to take it all away. -Barry Goldwater

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quote:
One more reason to not post coordinates for parking spaces

 

All a potential crook has to do is watch this web site, and find the easy places to find a car.

 


Now, no offense, but that seems a bit silly. I mean, it's not uncommon for a month or two to pass between finds on caches around here. I can't see a thief being that patient.

 

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

Have you had your house checked for Rae Dawn Chong?

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quote:
Originally posted by Mopar:

 

No, locking the doors just keeps honest people honest.


 

BULL! Honest people do not break into cars, locked or not! Sorry, but this is another cliche thatis mindlessly repeated and, once thought out, does not hold water.

 

A locked door does not keep anyone honest. A man's character does! (sorry for the rant)

 

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I've had windows smashed out of my vehicle at trailheads for a total of 5 times over the years, six if you count the one I did myself (Long story) It's happened to me in New Hampshire, California, Utah and Idaho. My prevention techniqe for the last 5 years to has been to drive my old beat up junker 4X4 that isn't worth taking, and doesn't have anything worth taking in it either. I keep the registration on me, and leave it unlocked, mostly because one of the locks got busted when it got broken into before. Unfortuanely I haven't been able to do this lately as my old beater is dead, so I'm just taking my chances now.

 

It's sad, but seeing smashed windows on vehicles at wilderness trailheads is pretty common just about anywhere I've been lately.

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It's extremely rare around here (odd being NJ/NY). In all my years of backpacking/hiking, it never happened to me and only to two people that I know of (once in the Catskills near Hunter Mtn and the other on the Pequannock Watershed property in NJ. In the first case, the car was left overnight. The other case was the stolen 12 pack I mentioned a few posts earlier.

 

Backpacker magazine had an article about break-ins a a few years ago and one of their recommendations was to make sure there were no valuables in your car and leave the car unlocked and the glove box open. That way if someone wants to get in you, you don't lose a window. Personally, I can't bring myself to leave the car unlocked, but I often do leave the glove box open...esp if I'm on an overniter. I have no idea if it helps.

 

A better idea! Leave a window open and sprinkle broken glass on the seat. That way the theif assumes your car's already been ransacked.

 

A government that is big enough to give you all you want is big enough to take it all away. -Barry Goldwater

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quote:
Originally posted by EraSeek:

quote:
Originally posted by Mopar:

 

No, locking the doors just keeps honest people honest.


 

BULL! Honest people do not break into cars, locked or not! Sorry, but this is another cliche thatis mindlessly repeated and, once thought out, does not hold water.

 

A locked door does not keep anyone honest. A man's character does! (sorry for the rant)

 

http://img.Groundspeak.com/user/4497_300.jpg


Hey, rant away! icon_smile.gif

Sure it's a wornout cliche, but it does have it's basis in truth. Things like honesty and integrity do not have hard and fast limits. Many an honest person would have no problem picking up a $20 bill you dropped on the sidewalk and pocketing it. That same person would never even consider mugging you. It was still your $20, and they still took it. Someone whos limits vary from yours might never even think to break a window to get in your car, yet still grab your GPS off the dash through your open window.

 

besides, I personally think that particular cliche has more meaning then just the literal. To carry it one step further, if a dishonest person wants something bad enough, no amount of locks or alarms will stop them. So, if a locked door does not keep a dishonest person honest, then the only people it does keep honest are ones who are already honest anyway. Get it?

 

Tae-Kwon-Leap is not a path to a door, but a road leading forever towards the horizon.

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quote:
Originally posted by logscaler:

Also another word to the wise.

 

A lot of the insurance companies will "DENY" a claim if the doors where not locked and the windows up. Loose items in a truck bed are included in that also.


 

A good insurance company will cover it though. I have an Amigo(a convertable like a jeep) that is impossible to lock. I've had the top slashed and tools and a laptop stolen out of it. I normally wouldn't have left the laptop in it but I was parked two slots down from the guard shack in the company parking lot. The insurance company replaced everything and I learned that nowhere is safe to park your car.

 

--

Not Necessarily Interesting News

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Please everyone, don't leave valuables (especially laptops) in your cars... That just rewards the criminals and reinforces their behaviour.

 

Result? More break-ins and property damage for everyone.

 

On another topic in this conversation, I belong to a forum of convertible owners who've discussed the "leave it unlocked" premise (to prevent the slashing of the convertible top).

 

Unfortunately thieves don't check if it's unlocked, they often cut the top regardless!

 

Come to think of it, from their point of view, a car parked at a trailhead Friday night or Saturday morning probably won't be returned to shortly (as compared to the Mall where it's more variable).

 

Ick!

 

Randy

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This phrase has served me well. I don't let little monetary setbacks or inconveniences get me down. In the grand scheme of things, its miniscule.

 

I'm a big believer in karma, so I just smile knowing that the thief will get whats coming to them eventually.

 

I do my best to protect myself from crime, but if it happens I just deal with it and move on.

 

--CoronaKid

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We haven't had anything happen to either vehicle yet wood . I disagree with Tahosa though- vehicle break-ins are usually crimes of opportunity. We have been to more than one park where signs are posted advising people not to leave valuables in their cars. Some spots invite theft. We usually try to take as little as possible with us while caching, and take that out of the truck with us.

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Been lucky so far... I always make sure that the truck is as boring as possible and leave the glove box open and empty...

 

Couple months ago we startled a young-un that had just smashed a couple windows in cars at the trail head... He bolted to a car and zipped away. He had hit the cars on either side of my truck and there were remains of a daypack and purse scattered about in one of the cars and a CD collection and assorted goodies tossed about in the other... Sometimes being boring is good!

 

TomBombadil79

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Would be nice it there was/is a website where this kind of stuff is reported. Of course that would require some effort by the victims as well as some effort by us to be a couple steps ahead.

 

I'm sure there are some places where this is more than an occasional occurence. Of course it can happen anywhere as posts have indicated.

 

I have occassionally seen warning signs that might hint of a problem in a particular park or area.

 

I'd imagine that the managing agency be it local or federal doesn't want to advertise a problem too much but it would be nice to know if vehicle breakins are a regular occurence in a particular area.

 

It always a bit troubling when travelling - an obvious vacationer/visitor to an area as much as one might try to make it look otherwise - and have to park and hike away from the vehicle for any period of time. You sort of know that eventually '**it happens' as stated earlier - hopefully just not today.

 

Life goes on - common sense rules...

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quote:
Originally posted by CoronaKid:

This phrase has served me well. I don't let little monetary setbacks or inconveniences get me down. In the grand scheme of things, its miniscule.

 

I'm a big believer in karma, so I just smile knowing that the thief will get whats coming to them eventually.

 

I do my best to protect myself from crime, but if it happens I just deal with it and move on.


 

Congratulations on your enlightened philosophy of life. Were you born like this? If not, can you understand how others might not be able to simply roll over and change their fundamental reactions to situations?

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**** happens.

 

Punish the guilty when possible, let it go either way. Otherwise it will eat away at you.

 

I had my truck broken into at work. It sucked, they stole my battery. Had to get a jumpstart to drive home. But then I got a new battery, fixed the window and got on with things.

 

Wherever you go there you are.

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Haven't been vandalized while geocaching per se, but did return at 2:00am to a disgusting mess of McDonald's crap thrown against the side of my car at a trailhead.

 

Disgruntled youth. The food's bad for them anyways. Better on my car that in them I guess.

 

I was also glad they didn't bust anything, but they certainly don't deserve a medal for restraint.

 

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quote:
Originally posted by Mr. Snazz:

quote:
Originally posted by CoronaKid:

This phrase has served me well. I don't let little monetary setbacks or inconveniences get me down. In the grand scheme of things, its miniscule.

 

I'm a big believer in karma, so I just smile knowing that the thief will get whats coming to them eventually.

 

I do my best to protect myself from crime, but if it happens I just deal with it and move on.


 

Congratulations on your enlightened philosophy of life. Were you born like this? If not, can you understand how others might not be able to simply roll over and change their fundamental reactions to situations?


 

Yeesh, that sarcastic response raised my eyebrows! Why criticise a useful suggestion that many might like to embrace?

 

"Fundemental reactions" after all, were learned, and may be unlearned. I agree with CoronaKid, that becoming upset over something an individual has no control over is personally debilitating and often more detrimental than the act itself--taking control of ones own health is hardly rolling over!

 

Before flying off the handle, raising your blood pressure and souring your mood--why not step back and realize there are more significant issues in life?

 

Enjoy,

 

Randy

 

PS: To answer your question Mr. Snazz, in my case, I learned it as an adolescent...

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quote:
Originally posted by RJFerret:

Before flying off the handle, raising your blood pressure and souring your mood--why not step back and realize there are more significant issues in life?


 

You assume that I've flown off the handle, and that my blood pressure has raised. In fact, what I posted is known as a "Troll", and I'm giggling like a schoolgirl at your response. icon_biggrin.gif

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quote:
Originally posted by Zartimus:

...Disgruntled youth. The food's bad for them anyways. Better on my car that in them I guess.


 

Canadians are always so easy going. I'd probably be deported if I went there for dinner and found a hair in my soup... icon_eek.gif

 

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

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

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Maybe a lot of you are a lot easier going than me, but if my car, home, whatever was broken into, I'd feel violated. Forget about it and call the insurance company? Easy to say, but I know it would really bother me. I'm sorry but the "punish the guilty, but let it go" philisophy doesn't do it for me. I'd rather find the person and hang them up by their thumbs...but that's just me.

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quote:
Originally posted by RJFerret:

 

Before flying off the handle, raising your blood pressure and souring your mood--why not step back and realize there are more significant issues in life?


 

quote:
Originally posted by Skigirl:

I'd rather find the person and hang them up by their thumbs...but that's just me.


 

Can I agree with both of you?

 

Why not stay cool as we etract sweet revenge?

 

So what is the speed of dark?

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quote:
Originally posted by Skigirl43:

Maybe a lot of you are a lot easier going than me, but if my car, home, whatever was broken into, I'd feel violated. Forget about it and call the insurance company? Easy to say, but I know it would really bother me. I'm sorry but the "punish the guilty, but let it go" philisophy doesn't do it for me. I'd rather find the person and hang them up by their thumbs...but that's just me.


 

I agree, and so does our local DA!

 

News Article

 

Man caught vandalizing van in stable condition

A 24-year-old man shot in the chest by a woman who caught him vandalizing her vehicle Wednesday remained stable in intensive care Thursday, police said.But police had little new information on the shooting, because they have been unable to interview the man, whom doctors are keeping unconscious, said Lt. Marc Conley with University of Nevada, Reno police.

Conley declined to release the name of either person. The woman had not been charged on Thursday.

The woman had dropped off two children about 9 a.m. Wednesday for a doctor appointment at the Nelson Building, a UNR facility at 401 W. Second St., police said.

When the woman went back to her van that displayed a parking permit, she found a man vandalizing the vehicle, police said.

The woman fired one bullet into the man’s chest and then sat next to the building to wait for police to arrive. The man had been seen throwing rocks at cars but was not armed, Conley said.

Conley said the woman had a permit to carry the weapon.

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Well while this hasn't happened to us Geo Caching. We did have someone try to break into our garage when we went on vacation. The friend of ours that was keeping an eye on the placeHe was the one who noticed someone jimmied with the door. So he cut an extention cord, Hooked the frayed end to the door, and pluged the oter end to the 110 outlet outside. Now I know there arn't many eletric outlets around certian caches, but maybe if someone could rig up something with their car battery icon_biggrin.gif Without zaping themselves. I think that would be a great deturent icon_wink.gif Just a thought icon_eek.gif

Blackfoot

 

Life is a gift, unwrap it and use it to the fullest!

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