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The Official Travel Bug Obituary....


Go JayBee

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Sad to say, but the ones who picked up your travel bug haven't logged into the site since June 15th. This doesn't mean they aren't ever going caching again, but a nice and polite e-mail to them might prompt some action. Send one e-mail. And wait. It's best not to nag. And be civil. Just because a person hasn't found time for caching doen't give anyone the right to call them a dead beat. You don't know what their life is like. You have not walked a mile in their shoes. The other posts saying the bugs were not in the cache were probalby people who showed up after he logged them out of the cache and so, no, they wouldn't have seen them. His log says the bugs are on the move. He/they have found 10 caches and 2 bugs so far. They might just need a gentle reminder.

 

And after being patient and civil for about 6 months, if they haven't contacted you and let you know the problem, maybe then you should hound them like a collection agency. They have something that doesn't belong to them, hanging onto it is stealing! Why not a "Hall of Shame", where the identities of those who STEAL the travel bugs can be shamed into explaining themselves, or better yet, releasing their captive on it's journey again?

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We are new to geocaching and really wanted our own travelbugs. After purchasing 8 bugs and attaching them to items with the usual warning about not taking tbs unless you plan to move them to another cache, 1 is missing after being moved once, two are in the hands of geocachers who seems to want to hold on to them (one of them has had it over a month and has not responded to my e-mail), and the remainder are sitting in caches. My question is : How long should I wait until deciding to reissue the copy tag for a missing bug? Or is that kosher to do so? Personally, I do not take travelbugs unless I plan to move them soon.

 

Unless the bug has been confirmed as lost, flood, fire (not just gone from the cache), I recommend a minimum of six month. A full year is probably the best wait time.

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Sad to say, but the ones who picked up your travel bug haven't logged into the site since June 15th. This doesn't mean they aren't ever going caching again, but a nice and polite e-mail to them might prompt some action. Send one e-mail. And wait. It's best not to nag. And be civil. Just because a person hasn't found time for caching doen't give anyone the right to call them a dead beat. You don't know what their life is like. You have not walked a mile in their shoes. The other posts saying the bugs were not in the cache were probalby people who showed up after he logged them out of the cache and so, no, they wouldn't have seen them. His log says the bugs are on the move. He/they have found 10 caches and 2 bugs so far. They might just need a gentle reminder.

 

And after being patient and civil for about 6 months, if they haven't contacted you and let you know the problem, maybe then you should hound them like a collection agency. They have something that doesn't belong to them, hanging onto it is stealing! Why not a "Hall of Shame", where the identities of those who STEAL the travel bugs can be shamed into explaining themselves, or better yet, releasing their captive on it's journey again?

 

It's been brought up before. Here's the Moderators response.

 

Can we start a pinned topic that lists the names of all cachers who have been holding on to TB's for 90 days or more? No insults needed, just a list of the cachers' names and the TB's that they are holding.

 

No. We can't. For many reasons. And it wouldn't help.

 

As for sending several emails you risk the chance of annoying them to the point of really trashing your bug. Also, gc.com tends to frown on cachers harassing each other via their profile email.

 

http://www.geocaching.com/about/termsofuse.aspx

 

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(a) Upload, post or otherwise transmit any content that is unlawful, harmful, threatening, abusive, harassing, tortious, defamatory, slanderous, vulgar, obscene, libelous, invasive of another's privacy, hateful, embarrassing, or racially, ethnically or otherwise objectionable to any other person or entity.

 

(j) "Stalk," harass, or otherwise harm another Site user.

Edited by BlueDeuce
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I released my first TB back in December of 05. It traveled slowly. It was 2 months before it was picked up, then a month before being dropped off. About 2 weeks later, it was picked up again and another 2 weeks until dropped off. Picked up 3 days later in April by a first timer (who logs in all CAPS! "I FOUND THIS ON MY FIRST TIME OUT GEOCACHING. I WILL FIND SOMEPLACE COOL FOR DRAGONITE TO REST ON ITS NEXT LEG OF THE TRIP ITS ON.") who didn't place it.

 

Emailed him in June, and he replied saying this, "I'm sorry to say I still Have it. I took a bad fall shortly after I picked it up and was layed up, but I'm getting around again and will be taking a trip to the western edge of Wisconsin on the fourth of July weekend and am going to find a spot near the bluffs overlooking the Mississippi river for it's next resting place. I will log in on the 5th when I return and update the new local."

 

Great, I thought, he is gonna drop it off.

 

July rolls around, no drop.

 

August, nope. Emailed him on the first, and haven't heard from him since. Getting a little annoyed here!

 

Would another email hurt, or would that be unnecessary and rude?

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He already knows that he's supposed to drop it off, so he's ignoring you.

 

One option is to email him again, and include an offer asking him to mail it back to you and you will reimburse him for the postage. (or have a local cacher go get it if you want to make that sort of an attempt)

 

Good Luck!

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<_<

Just a word of encouragement for all of you still hoping to reunite with your TB. I went to a cache the other day (LIEFE) that is in Seattle WA and found Harry Porter and the Golden Snitch TB and went to log it on the website. This originally came from Ohio and had been lost for over a year. I emailed the owner and let them know that I found it but will not be able to get it to Scotland at this time. They were very happy to hear that it was back in circulation and did not care where it went. The TB will be moving on this weekend. The point here is, that even when all hope of seeing your TB again is lost there is always chance that it may be found.

 

SEattlEMossMan

 

I also had one travel bug that has been gone for about 3 months. I did some investigating and am pretty sure that it was in a cache that was muggled or destroyed by a critter (it disappeared in Alaska). I'm not giving up hopes that it will ever be found. So far I have found 2 travel bugs that were probably dropped off in caches, but not recorded. One of them was "lost" for more than a year. Finding 2 was almost as exciting than losing one...........

Janice33

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I'm not sure if he's dead, but he's been MIA for a while: Nice Going Einstein.

 

What really chaps me is that I contacted the cacher who has the bug in September, and he said he was going to put it out that weekend. That's been a month, now. I e-mailed the cacher again last week, and didn't get a reply. This was my first TB, and one that my kid's Gifted & Talented class was going to follow, so they can see how it works before they make their own TB.

 

Part of me wants to harass him daily until he responds, look up his ISP info, that sort of thing. I can feel my BP rising as I type. Better to let it go...

 

Nice to know you, Einstein. Maybe I'll clone you with the dupe tag...

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Part of me wants to harass him daily until he responds

 

I know, I know. My manager has always called me his 'Point Maker'. I thiiink I've gotten better. B)

 

I had a delayed bug (4 months) that the holder did respond; He's working a job up in Canada and won't be back for several more months, but will get to placing it when he gets back.

 

I hope.

 

It's on my "once a year passes it gets re-released" list.

 

What else can I do, nag the guy? B)

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One month is no where near long enough to release the copy tag yet. Not everyone gets to go out and cache every weekend. And please, do not send them harrassing emails, that could get your account disabled in a heartbeat. one or two friendly emails, spread out over time is ok. One a week is overboard. Also, not everyone gets the emails past their spam blockers. And if they use AOL, they may have problems getting them at all.

 

I'm not sure if he's dead, but he's been MIA for a while: Nice Going Einstein.

 

What really chaps me is that I contacted the cacher who has the bug in September, and he said he was going to put it out that weekend. That's been a month, now. I e-mailed the cacher again last week, and didn't get a reply. This was my first TB, and one that my kid's Gifted & Talented class was going to follow, so they can see how it works before they make their own TB.

 

Part of me wants to harass him daily until he responds, look up his ISP info, that sort of thing. I can feel my BP rising as I type. Better to let it go...

 

Nice to know you, Einstein. Maybe I'll clone you with the dupe tag...

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i have a bug in one of my cachs and nobody has found it for over a year now so its still siting there its one you have to go out of the city but its there i chek on it all the time

 

Considering the person who logged it, yes that bug is missing. Here's what you should do. Go to that bug page listed on your cache and select Found "It? Log it!" and post a note stating that you have verified the bug is not in your cache. This will notify the bug owner.

 

Again, Go to the bug page. You will see an option to 'Mark bug as missing'. Click 'Go' then 'Yes' and that will move it to an unknown location, removing it from your cache page.

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It is with profound saddness that I come to this forum today to mourn the loss of Rod's Fatboy TB. He was grabbed by a 5 cache wonder who hasn't responded to my emails asking about him. Hopefully one of these days he will reappear, but for now it joins the many missing TB's sent out into the world.

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(holding up a glass) A toast to two of our TB's that went MIA.

 

One is a very unique travel bug - Tales from the Cache. We launched it at an event and it never got to log a single mile. How sad.

 

The other one was a coin, but not a geocoin. We drilled the required 'big friggin' hole' and attached a TB tag to it. After 136 miles it ended up in a TB hotel. From there it went missing. We've heard rumors that this TB got mixed up with some TBs from the other side of the tracks and got addicted to meth. It may or may not be living in a flop house with some Beanies-gone-bad. We are going on a rescue mission to Green Bay in search of this one this weekend. With any luck we WILL bring this one home!

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So I spent time creating a hand painted figurine, THE HAND OF GOD, and what do you know it made it all of 38 miles before it went MIA. Those fargin bastages!!!! Oh well, don't mind losing the figurine, but they could have at least sent on the TB so I could get IT back in circulation. Gonna have to create a new HAND OF GOD, now if this one goes MIA, God will be handless....

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You have the right approach. :unsure:

It's really hard for Mom or Dad to say: "Comon now, we have to let this one go" Especially if the bug is some cuddly, soft, Teddy Bear, or Dinasour.

 

That's pretty sad, really. My son has really loved some of the bugs but when it has been a little while bugs have to go back in a cache. I don't care if he had a tantrum. I would just put him in his room until he was done with the tantrum. Oh well, I guess not everyone deals with kids in the same way. Letting them keep a TB would be like looking the other way if they stuck a candybar in their pocket at the store IMHO.

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How about shortest distance before going MIA? A whopping 11 miles for one of my geocoins! Probably more vulnerable to being 'souvenired' than a regular TB.

I have that one beat! I have a travel bug and a Geocoin that both went missing from the first caches they were placed in. Zero miles logged on them! I have photocopies of them both and will release them along with a photocopy of the travel bug tag. I'll keep releasing them over and over if some cacher decides he/she wants to keep a laminated photocopy of a travel bug or coin. ha ha

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My Travel Bug "White Hummer Travel Bug "Matt"" was placed and picked up this time last year and hasnt been seen since. He is definetely gone since the user who picked him up hasnt been on since January 2006. I have sent e-mails every single month and only responded once with a reply "I broke my leg ill place it soon" and hasnt logged on since he replied in my e-mail.

 

This was my first travel bug to be releaed and only lasted 4 DAYS!!! is that a record or has anyone had shorter??

 

He will be greatly missed.

 

:surprise::huh::(:D:):D;):)

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My Travel Bug "White Hummer Travel Bug "Matt"" was placed and picked up this time last year and hasnt been seen since. He is definetely gone since the user who picked him up hasnt been on since January 2006. I have sent e-mails every single month and only responded once with a reply "I broke my leg ill place it soon" and hasnt logged on since he replied in my e-mail.

 

This was my first travel bug to be releaed and only lasted 4 DAYS!!! is that a record or has anyone had shorter??

 

He will be greatly missed.

 

:surprise::huh::D:(;):):D:)

 

I would say that my Midwest Geobash 2006 coin has it beat. I put it in my cache and checked on it the next day and it was gone. It has never been logged yet and that was last month. I had hoped it was taken by someone passing through town with no access to internet but I'm thinking that is NOT the case. I guess it was just too cute. It was my first geocoin placed but not my first trackable (and not my first to go missing with zero miles. The other one did sit in the cache a few days before it was picked up.

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I'm new to this sport, but recently I found a TB in a cache that had the laminated mission tag, chain, and the bug itself, but no dogtag. I looked through the history of the cache, but it was not listed as having been dropped. How do I go about finding its number and owner, so they can be contacted? Is there a topic dealing with such things?

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I mean that I left it sitting in the cache. I looked at the gallery for the Vette bug, and it isn't any of the others. I should also say that the reason I'm sure the laminated tag goes with this bug is that on the reverse side of the tag, it has a picture of the car. I should also mention that the bug, chain, and laminated card were all loose in the cache, not attached to each other. I went through the cache looking for the dog tag, even on the ground around the hiding spot, but couldn't find it.

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My family was really getting into geocaching back west. We were moving over 2000 miles, so we each got a travel bug to place the week before we moved. None have moved now since September, and at least one is missing. No one seems to know where any of them are at this point. After almost daily asking by my children of "Mom, where's my bug now?" for a month, they are resigned themselves to the thoughts that their beloved bugs are gone, whether stolen, broken, thrown out, or other.

 

The really sad part is, it's really killed my family's interest in geocaching. The inconsiderate folks that take the trackable items without logging them, without putting them somewhere new, without getting in touch with the owners... they really kill the fun for everyone else. It's really a shame. Not to mention the lesson taught to the children that there are thieves out there.

 

so in the meantime, i check once a month or so, but I think at this point we're not expecting to see them again.

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My family was really getting into geocaching back west. We were moving over 2000 miles, so we each got a travel bug to place the week before we moved. None have moved now since September, and at least one is missing. No one seems to know where any of them are at this point. After almost daily asking by my children of "Mom, where's my bug now?" for a month, they are resigned themselves to the thoughts that their beloved bugs are gone, whether stolen, broken, thrown out, or other.

 

The really sad part is, it's really killed my family's interest in geocaching. The inconsiderate folks that take the trackable items without logging them, without putting them somewhere new, without getting in touch with the owners... they really kill the fun for everyone else. It's really a shame. Not to mention the lesson taught to the children that there are thieves out there.

 

so in the meantime, i check once a month or so, but I think at this point we're not expecting to see them again.

 

Did you send a note to the person holding Dr. A, Medicine Woman?

 

For Officer G I would contact the very next visitor of that cache. (Aug 10th) In the meantime you might want to move the bug to an unknown location so people aren't expecting to find the bug.

 

For Vinny's Big Adventure contact the sponsor of that event, it's been long enough and there are even more bugs just sitting there.

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My family was really getting into geocaching back west. We were moving over 2000 miles, so we each got a travel bug to place the week before we moved. None have moved now since September, and at least one is missing. No one seems to know where any of them are at this point. After almost daily asking by my children of "Mom, where's my bug now?" for a month, they are resigned themselves to the thoughts that their beloved bugs are gone, whether stolen, broken, thrown out, or other.

 

The really sad part is, it's really killed my family's interest in geocaching. The inconsiderate folks that take the trackable items without logging them, without putting them somewhere new, without getting in touch with the owners... they really kill the fun for everyone else. It's really a shame. Not to mention the lesson taught to the children that there are thieves out there.

 

so in the meantime, i check once a month or so, but I think at this point we're not expecting to see them again.

 

I know how you feel. My family's TB had a good run, from Toronto to California via everywhere in the middle. It was last logged in october. I got a note from the cache owner that the bug was gone. Apparently not logged out. No-idea who has him, we are all losing interest in gc. We had two caches completely stolen, from two different areas that were well hidden. You couldn't just stumble on them. So now to add to the stolen caches, now a stolen TB!!!

We haven't cached in almost a year. Considering not doing it anymore. Not that it's fun, it is! But from the lack of manners from others that ruin either our own or someone elses cache.

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It is with a heavy heart that I mourn the loss of my very first travel bug. Sadie Snowflake journeyed to San Diego from chilly Minnesota for a quick holiday before buckling down to the hard work of winter. She began her geocashing adventure in sunny San Diego, but only made it one hop to Lazy River #4 which has fallen prey to the deadly and unstoppable muggler. That first leg was a quick, fast trip of 920 miles but it seems that this may be the end of Sadie. Her snowflake friends and family are very sad that she will not be joining them in Minnesota this winter. Perhaps that's why there is so little snow in Minneapolis this season . . . they're all off searching for Sadie . . .

 

Sadie's brother, Skully, is still out there after after his first move, 667 miles from where he embarked on his travels through the caches of the world. Here's hoping Skully moves along soon to more "skull-type" adventures in honor and in celebration of his short-lived, MIA sister, Sadie.

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I hear the pain of all of you. I have'nt had a tb go missing yet, however I have several that have been picked up and never loged by the (no name cachers)! I picked up a bus tb that was to travel from Texas to Newyork, when I got home to track it The owner emailed me that the tb was missing for over a year. I told them I had it here in Newyork where I live. Apparently cachers picked it up and passed it from cache to cache without ever tracking it's distance. It made it's goal with only my logging it.

 

I wish people would leave them in the cache if they don't know how or even care to track their goal. Even those new Tb tags that have the pass along cache tag attached still does'nt help.

 

 

Why,,,,,,,,Why,,,,,,,,,Whyyyyyyyyyyyyy!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :(

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I'm a newbie at this and waiting to receive my tags by mail. I hope mine won't go missing. Just thought I would throw my 2 cents in. When newbies sign up and become a Geocacher, they should have to read about certian things about Geocaching and then write a test on what they learned. This way the newbies have an ideal about trackable items and what to do. All the info are in this fourm but at the time when you register, they don't know nothing, well most of them don't. At less this way the % of missing TB and geocoins will be reduce, hoping. If you all know what I mean, I hope. Because alot of people are keeping these and not really knowing what there are, even if there is a tag on it. And again, some people don't care. Well, I do and many condolences to all the lost TB's out there.

 

smokingpipe

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I've not posted here before, normally at:.ncfoothills-geocachers.com but was searching lost TBs and thought I would chime in. I've been caching close to two years now and own four TBs that I hand carved myself. I've only had one go missing. When people take a TB without logging it, and place it on there desktop, it becomes a trophy to them. And just like a deer hunter, there is a much nicer one out ther somewhere. The life of a TB is uncertain once you shut the lid and walk away. If it goes missing, all you can do is hope it is spreading joy to someone. I would imagine "Thumber" is having a ball. I did, before I turned him loose.

ec3f8281e6af45fbaba86e8dk8.jpg

Edited by papabigwoe
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I think anyone who takes a TB and does not plan to pass it along quickly, should not take them. I especially hate oit when you go to a cache that has a TB listed and it is not there. Some of this is part of muggles taking them. We, as cachers, need to hide the caches better when we find them so our enemies do not ruin our fun. Another reason that our bugs go missing is because of people don't realize that they have taken a TB and just let it sit with out ever logging it. I guess all we can do is just deal with the muggles and try to avoid them.

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I agree, thats why I don't pick up too many bugs anymore. The last one I placed, went missing brfore the next log. Beginners tend to clean out a cache of whatever looks good to them, and havn't gone as far as to research what a TB is. bottom line is, if you play the TB game, sooner or later you will loose one. The world is full of folks who don't care about other peoples property. Don't let them ruin the fun. Three out of four of mine are still active. When they go missing....I'll close that chapter!

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I agree, thats why I don't pick up too many bugs anymore. The last one I placed, went missing brfore the next log. Beginners tend to clean out a cache of whatever looks good to them, and havn't gone as far as to research what a TB is. bottom line is, if you play the TB game, sooner or later you will loose one. The world is full of folks who don't care about other peoples property. Don't let them ruin the fun. Three out of four of mine are still active. When they go missing....I'll close that chapter!

I pick them up but the longest i have one is six days, then it moves on. Some of us work still. I believe when one goes to a cache that has a bug listed and it is not there, could be some one was there earlier that day but hasn't logged yet. Then you get those who don't log at all. It is all in the game and most of us play fair.

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Follw this link:The TravelBug Graveyard and give your bug a burial at sea.

 

May it Rest In Peace,

 

JayBee

 

Is there another place to bury dead/missing/stolen TB's? The above site does not allow anymore entries. I have been going thru my TB list and I found that I have 7 more that have been stolen, and I want to bury them somewhere. Does anyine know of a cache to bury them at?

 

Maxwell Q

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Is there another place to bury dead/missing/stolen TB's? The above site does not allow anymore entries. I have been going thru my TB list and I found that I have 7 more that have been stolen, and I want to bury them somewhere. Does anyine know of a cache to bury them at?

 

Maxwell Q

 

Bugs were updated with the option to be placed in an 'unknown location'. Very handy as it doesn't add any extra miles.

 

Go to the bug page and look under owner options. Use the pull down that says recalculate.

 

You can always pull it back out later if necessary.

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Almost all of my travel bugs are now dead.

 

Of the first 12 travel bugs that I released, I am sure that 9 of them are almost surely lost and there is a good chance that another one may be lost as well. One other travel bug is in the hands of an inactive geocacher who picked it up more than two years ago and still has it in his inventory, and hasn't who hasn't logged onto Geocaching.com since last summer and who has yet to respond to my e-mail. That leaves only one of my 12 travel bugs, Pluto, still alive and active. Curiously, that was the first travel bug that I released, nearly five years ago.

 

Therefore, out of 12 travel bugs, 10 or 11 are dead. Why do almost all travel bugs become lost? Can't we expect geocachers to properly move and log travel bugs?

 

Ken Akerman (a.k.a. Highpointer)

Edited by Highpointer
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I gave a TB to someone in person, and for months, I've asked him to log it. Now he claims he put it a cache that was muggled, but he forgot to log it. Is there a way to search by his ID to find out if he actually did visit a cache recently that was stolen? I think he just kept the TB, because it was really cool. He claims he wrote the bug owner after it went missing, and got no reply. I did get a few emails from them, asking me to log it, since I was the last on record. I feel bad that I've unintentionally caused a bug to go missing.

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I gave a TB to someone in person, and for months, I've asked him to log it. Now he claims he put it a cache that was muggled, but he forgot to log it. Is there a way to search by his ID to find out if he actually did visit a cache recently that was stolen? I think he just kept the TB, because it was really cool. He claims he wrote the bug owner after it went missing, and got no reply. I did get a few emails from them, asking me to log it, since I was the last on record. I feel bad that I've unintentionally caused a bug to go missing.

 

You can view the profile and see what caches they've logged, not sure if how much it'll help. Where is the bug currently listed, in your inventory or theirs?

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