An Unhappy Sheriff

[+Car54]

Star,

 

I already e-mailed him with a link to the Star Press story. I didn't link him to this thread, though. We, too, have met him and he seems a nice, responsible sort (I don't know if he'd like that description, though ). If you look at his profile, he is a charter member, having joined in 2001, so he's far from being an inexperienced noobie. We've hunted several of his caches. I think this whole sad incident is being blown WAY out of proportion.

 

Rochelle of Car54

[OuttaHand]

I'm not sure what the cost to the city was. I’m sure an EOD unit doesn't come cheap.

I can see the next city council meeting. "Mr./Mrs. Mayor we can't afford to send the EOD to all these GGeocaching boxes. I think we should just BAN ggeocaching within our city limits.

I'm sure an EOD call IS expensive, but I really have to question the quality of their EOD unit! They solve a bomb call by shooting with a .50 cal round???

 

My nephew is an EOD tech in the Air Force. He has described all the training and many of the techniques used to defuse and/or destroy possible bombs. I'm fairly certain he has never mentioned "We just shoot it with a big gun".

 

If that HAD been a bomb -- the size of an ammo box -- loaded with C4, etc. it would have taken out the building next to the train without some sort of containment. So given the report, either the EOD dept. is terribly lax in safety precautions; or there's a lot of info missing.

[+Hydnckr]

We can discuss all day about cache owners relations to property owners and police (which I'm sure we will)

But the part that actually makes me angry is how this geocacher who FOUND it is being put on display. They have his name, his age, his job, how many kids he has, the name of one of them and his quotes.

Plus, the audacity of the sheriff to even consider making this guy responsible for the charges is beyond me. (I doubt it will happen, but the sheer fact that he mentioned it to the reporter is unprofessional in my opinion)

I work in a TV station and am close to a lot of reporters, anchors and producers and I'm sure we'd approach the story in a similar way but for the sheriff to give the impression to the reporter that the cacher who found it is guilty means that the reporter is going to automatically run with that angle.

 

grrr...

[+CookCrew]

I am the guy who FOUND the geocache that is causing all the problems. Some of of the details that had been misrepresented:

 

1. The cache page said they had permission. The police said the owners were there and knew nothing of it. But the "hands on" guy was in Florida. I assume he was the one who gave permission. I do not personally know the cacher who placed the cache, but he has a good reputation and I am sure he did get permission for placing it.

 

2. The police also stated how I was reported looking in the bushes near the storage bins. The coords were a little off and that is where it was pointing me. After I looked at the hint, I realized it was on the train. The police state there are reports that terrorists will stockpile explosives in storage bins. So that was another thing that caused alarm.

 

3. They made the comment that I did not have a good reason for stopping when I see all of the police surrounding the area. Well, if you had 4 children under the age of nine in your car, do you stop anywhere you see that something bad is happening? I did not suspect they were investigating a bomb scare. Could have been a shootout.

 

4. The police stopped me within a mile or two. They all treated me with respect and listened to my story. I was never cuffed or frisked, they talked to the kids without scaring them. The sherriff was upset, and threw in some scare tactics at the end, but he had about as bad of a day as I had, so I can understand. He stated I am in the wrong game in the wrong place at the wrong time.

 

5. As soon as the officer explained to me what was going on, I offered to return and retrieve the cache and open it for them, but in the end, the person in charge made the call to blow it up anyway.

 

6. One thing they didn't report is that we lost a geocoin in the ordeal

 

7. The only good thing about all of these articles is that they never got my city right so hopefully I won't be bothered about this anymore. One reporter called me last night, but that has been it so far.

 

When they told me they would be talking to the prosecutor, I asked if this would come back on me. They said nothing criminal, but can't say about civil $$$. Is there any basis for this? Do I need to be worried?

 

I can't say if I will be geocaching anymore after this or not. This has been fun until now. Not a good day. The real shame is it was a GREAT cache.

 

Can I still log it as a find? Never mind.

[+Hydnckr]

CookCrew

 

You have my full support. I think you were in the right game with the wrong person watching you unfortunately. I hope it does die down quickly for you, I know how a story can run and run and run.

 

AND I think you should darn well log this sucker as a find, it's the hardest anyone has had to work for a cache in a while and it's a well deserved find.

 

as far as whether you geocache again or not, that's understandable, but take a break, and see how you feel in a week or 2.

 

Again, I'm sorry you had to go thru this, but I offer my support to you and I think that you were a responsible geocacher just trying to have fun sharing a hobby with your kids (and their friends)

 

do your kids have show and tell coming up at school ??

[+KoosKoos]

5. As soon as the officer explained to me what was going on, I offered to return and retrieve the cache and open it for them, but in the end, the person in charge made the call to blow it up anyway.

I'm sure there's a protocol to all of this, but it seems to me that if the person is explaining that it's a game and they're willing to PROVE that, then the officers on the scene made the situation worse.

 

Another case of common sense leaving the groups of people and it shows how terrorism works by scaring people engaged in normal activities.

 

As others have said, I'm glad citizens are becoming more aware of what's going on around them, but we shouldn't jump to the wrong conclusion.....especially when a average person explains what was really happening....sheesh.

[+Team Tigger International]

I can't say if I will be geocaching anymore after this or not. This has been fun until now. Not a good day. The real shame is it was a GREAT cache.

 

Can I still log it as a find? Never mind.

CookCrew Hi ! Remember us we came across you and your friend from the UP awhile back at Patrick's Secret Waterfall !

 

Please don't let this take the family friendly fun of geocaching away from you . I am sorry that you had this trouble and Personally I think the officer should have been more understanding and blew the whole thing WAY out of proportion.

 

As for weather you should log a find or not ... OF COURSE you should , you found it you signed the log book for it didn't you ?

 

I have met the cache owner and I am sure he would insist that you log a find on it as well. He is a really nice guy.

 

As for other people having come across similar situations ... well Perhaps Wulf will share his story with you when he gets home from work , he has one to tell of a cache that was placed without permission . Granted it wasnt quite as bad as your experience but it may be fun to share none the less and maybe will make you feel a little better .

 

Star of Team Tigger International

[+Team Tigger International]

I'm not sure what the cost to the city was. I’m sure an EOD unit doesn't come cheap.

I can see the next city council meeting. "Mr./Mrs. Mayor we can't afford to send the EOD to all these GGeocaching boxes. I think we should just BAN ggeocaching within our city limits.

I'm sure an EOD call IS expensive, but I really have to question the quality of their EOD unit! They solve a bomb call by shooting with a .50 cal round???

 

My nephew is an EOD tech in the Air Force. He has described all the training and many of the techniques used to defuse and/or destroy possible bombs. I'm fairly certain he has never mentioned "We just shoot it with a big gun".

 

If that HAD been a bomb -- the size of an ammo box -- loaded with C4, etc. it would have taken out the building next to the train without some sort of containment. So given the report, either the EOD dept. is terribly lax in safety precautions; or there's a lot of info missing.

EDO unit ..... I didnt know an officer with a bullet in his gun qualified as an EDO unit.

[+joefrog]

1.) The man had his children with him. Terrorists usually don't bring their children. (in this country)

 

Who knows BUT, how many people from the area have already checked out the web site from reading the article and will be GeoCaching by this weekend?

FYI, I've had the "terrorist talk" with a deputy when searching for one of Jeff35080's caches near a water tower. My innocent-looking wife waiting for me and sleeping daughter in the backseat wasn't enough, because "she looked like a terrorist." She's from India.

 

Don't assume that you will not look suspicious when searching (even when obvious to you), and DO be ready to explain what you're doing completely and honestly!

 

And regarding the bad link -- I have called the reporter and sent a letter to the editor, both mentioning the bad link (among other things).

[lowracer]

This kind of thing, especially the last comment from the sheriff, really chaps my hide. The government needs to understand (and we're doing quite a poor job of holding them to this) that they work for "WE THE PEOPLE." We created the government to secure these rights: life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. Whenever something comes along that the government doesn't like, they try to ban it. They don't like the common people owning guns, they ban 'em. They don't like people drinking alcohol, they ban it. They don't like geocaches, they ban 'em. Well we the people have the right to keep and bear arms, and we have the right to pursue happiness by drinking alcohol if we like, and we have the right to pursue happiness by hiding and finding geocaches. Geocaching IS quite literally the pursuit of happiness. Government, all the way from the President all the way down to the cop on the beat, exists to secure that right, not to infringe on it.

 

GEOCACHING IS NOT A CRIME -- Put that on a T-shirt and I'll wear it.

 

[The above rant is valid in the USA only. Void in other countries or where free speech is prohibited by law]

 

I agree that geocaching does look like suspicious activity:

 

1) We need to train our local law enforcement about the sport, and repeat the message periodically (local geocaching groups can present quarterly or semi-annual training at the police station and sheriff's offices).

 

2) We need better and more rapid policing by the local groups especially when the caches are placed on private property without permission. Make sure that all local caches are covered by a local group member on a watch list, and get out there fast to deal with any caches that are a problem (placed w/o permission).

 

3) As for educating the business that there is a cache on their property, how about this, each and every one of us, before hunting a cache on private property, you pop in and introduce yourself to the staff or manager? Say "Hi, I'm John Doe, I live just down the road. (at this point you hand over your little business card that explains geocaching, including your name and email address or phone number) Me and my two kids are going to be playing a game called geocaching right here on your property. We'll be crawling around looking for a hidden box of goodies. Do you know about the geocache on your property? It was my understanding that it was placed here with permission." That way you get permission every time, the staff in the place at that exact moment knows who you are and what you're doing and they won't be calling the bomb squad. Yeah it will take a few more minutes but you won't be subject to legal hassles later when they call out the SWAT team with the 50 cal rifle.

 

4) When you go to vote, whether for president or for your local representative, judge, or sheriff, vote for candidates who understand that it is the people who created the government, that the government is the servant of the people, not the other way around. This whole business of electing people who make the government bigger and more powerful is going to turn around and bite us on the butt, and not just in the infringement of our right to hunt for boxes of trinkets.

Edited October 27, 2004 by lowracer

[+Kitch]

5. As soon as the officer explained to me what was going on, I offered to return and retrieve the cache and open it for them, but in the end, the person in charge made the call to blow it up anyway.

 

[+Milbank]

5. As soon as the officer explained to me what was going on, I offered to return and retrieve the cache and open it for them, but in the end, the person in charge made the call to blow it up anyway.

 

 

 

[+jollybgood]

Sorry if this has been posted. I have caches in the area so it could affect me.

 

Strange stuff...

 

http://www.chronicle-tribune.com/apps/pbcs.../410270306/1002

[+Team Tigger International]

Maybe everyone here that reads this and has a response can perhaps do what I have just done and e-mail the reporter that wrote the Star article your thoughts . It may not help much but perhaps we will be able to get a positive spin on things in that Paper .

His e-mail is listed at the top of the story and it is ricroutledge@hotmail.com

Lets try to support our support and get some positive PR as well ...

[+jollybgood]

This link from my hometown paper has a photo of the blown up cache.

 

http://www.chronicle-tribune.com/apps/pbcs.../410270306/1002

Edited October 27, 2004 by jollybgood

[+CookCrew]

Thanks, everyone for the support. It helps with all the stress I have been feeling.

 

In thinking about all of this, if I place anymore caches in the future, I will probably forget about camoflaging the container and stick with a see thru container and just cover it well.

 

I will log my find, but the police asked that I not do anything with it at this point. But since the story came out I figured I could talk about it.

[+Kitch]

*needs archived*...somebody had to do it.

[+cache_test_dummies]

This link from my hometown paper has a photo of the blown up cache.

 

http://www.chronicle-tribune.com/apps/pbcs.../410270306/1002

Probably should have labled this link as a SPOILER, since it shows the cache container

[CoyoteRed]

Different article than in the other thread.

 

What caught my eye was, "Cook said he described the contents of the box and offered to open it but police decided to blow up the container anyway."

 

Sounds to me that the bomb squad brought a little bit of this on themselves.

 

Not to mention,"It concerned us that he drove by," Mahan said. "(Cook) didn't stop despite seeing all of the police officers in the parking lot, in the area where he had left the container, and he had no good story as to why he drove past."

 

I would have driven past, as well. How would I know people are getting all riled up over a cache? Maybe there was a robbery or a fight. Who knows? Would it have been any of my business to stop? I think not.

 

I'd bet folks don't think twice if someone left a book bag or a briefcase behind other than someone left something of value and they might want it back. In Israel, you leave something like that unattended that's when the bomb squad is called out.

 

Granted, we're still new to the "terrorist thing," but come on, get a grip.

[+Kitch]

Maybe this is a good time ....to bring up the fact that "lexan" is a good product for "clear" cache containers.....

 

I'm sure it won't help....... (much).

[Bluehook]

What? A small-town police department over-reacted to a report of a suspicious package in terrorist-rich, target-heavy, east-central Indiana? Say it ain’t so.

 

These stories are becoming typical whether they involve geocaching or not. The responding officer's discretion (or lack thereof) should be the only thing in question here.

 

In the end the reality is, this “event” is probably advantageous for geocaching. Exposure, good or bad, is still exposure…

[+jollybgood]

This link from my hometown paper has a photo of the blown up cache.

 

http://www.chronicle-tribune.com/apps/pbcs.../410270306/1002

Probably should have labled this link as a SPOILER, since it shows the cache container

LOL!! I guess so.

 

I've logged a LOT of Kid Crazy's caches. THey're some of the better caches in Indiana -- many having to do with trains or rail road history.

 

If he says he had the owner's permission I'm inclined to believe him.

[Keystone]

Hello,

 

I have merged together two separate threads discussing this incident; a third thread was closed by the topic originator before it went too far. Only one thread per bomb scare.

 

So if the posts are a little disjointed, that's the reason.

 

I have added a subtitle, "Indiana Bomb Scare," so that the index clearly identifies what's being discussed here.

[+jollybgood]

What? A small-town police department over-reacted to a report of a suspicious package in terrorist-rich, target-heavy, east-central Indiana? Say it ain’t so.

 

These stories are becoming typical whether they involve geocaching or not. The responding officer's discretion (or lack thereof) should be the only thing in question here.

 

In the end the reality is, this “event” is probably advantageous for geocaching. Exposure, good or bad, is still exposure…

Yeah but how many times does a small town sherriff get to blow stuff up?

 

Funny that this happened near Hartford City.

 

The town is famous among other things for the incident where a judge sentenced a guy (I forget his crime -- I think he had a U.S. Flag hanging in the back of his van) to standing in on the courthouse grounds holding a flag for X number of days/hours.

 

Was a really controversal event years ago.

 

They were also famous for having a Triple-X Adult drive-in theatre just outside of town. Teens used to park in the cemetery behind the theatre and get an eye-ful

 

Closed up years ago -- still hard to believe it ever existed.

[+joefrog]

I am currently in contact with the reporter, and am trying to point him in the right direction... I just hope I'm not mis-quoted!

[+sui generis]

"It concerned us that he drove by," Mahan said. "(Cook) didn't stop despite seeing all of the police officers in the parking lot, in the area where he had left the container, and he had no good story as to why he drove past."

 

So I guess what the "officer" is saying is that EVERY time we see officers gathered, we should stop our cars, get out and see what is going on. Yeah right! Then he'll whine that people shouldn't rubberneck and should move along so they can do their job more effectively. Can't have it both ways Barney!

[+Team Tigger International]

I am currently in contact with the reporter, and am trying to point him in the right direction... I just hope I'm not mis-quoted!

Well YAY for US as I am currently in contact with the reporter as well , I wonder if we are in contact with the same Reporter ? Myself I am in contact with the reporter of the Star .

Good Job Joe !

Positive PR .. think Positive !

[+clearpath]

I think one of us should march into that Sheriff's office and demand that he stop this harrassment. He should be man-handled (thats really the only langauge they know) a bit and made to see our side of the story. We should slap some sense into the guy and make him sorry for ever thinking we are playing the wrong game. Oookay, any volunteers ...

[+Sparrowhawk]

CookCrew, if I could fly out from Oregon to buy you a beer and make you feel better about geocaching I would.

 

If this had happened here, I would have created an event cache called "Jailhouse Rock" just to invite other cachers by to hang out with you, buy you a beer and cheer you up.

 

This is not a hint to cachers in your local area... just my thought du jour...

[+Sparrowhawk]

"It concerned us that he drove by," Mahan said. "(Cook) didn't stop despite seeing all of the police officers in the parking lot, in the area where he had left the container, and he had no good story as to why he drove past."

 

So I guess what the "officer" is saying is that EVERY time we see officers gathered, we should stop our cars, get out and see what is going on. Yeah right! Then he'll whine that people shouldn't rubberneck and should move along so they can do their job more effectively. Can't have it both ways Barney!

No kidding.

Are there any law enforcement experts reading this? What is your take on it?

[+jeff35080]

My take on it is that I don't like being called Barney I have many more bullets than Barney did

 

I am a LEO and a geocacher. I could effectively argue both sides of the issue.

 

It basically boils down to education of the masses... those masses include all forms of muggles, not just LEOs.

[+jeff35080]

I'm also curious if the report of a .50 caliber round being fired at the cache was accurate as I would have expected the cache to have been shot with a typical disruptor which is basically a high powered water cannon.

[+joefrog]

My take on it is that I don't like being called Barney I have many more bullets than Barney did

 

I am a loser and a geocacher. I could effectively argue both sides of the issue.

 

Would you rather be that guy from the Village people?

 

(sorry ya'll, Jeff is my pal and I have to kid him)

Edited October 27, 2004 by joefrog

[+jeff35080]

After recent alacache.com forum threads, I feel very uncomfortable when someone mentions Barney

[+BadAndy]

My take on this. A legitimate call was made about suspicious activity, with a legitimate early response, after that things go wrong. The cache was positively identified as harmless, but was "blown up" anyways. Is it common practice for eod's to blow up everything they investigate, bomb or not?

 

Is this a case of the bomb squad not being able step back and stand down after responding (kinda like the adrenaline infused cop that roughs up a suspect after a high speed chase), or did they decide to use the situation as a training exercise to practice clearing a suspicious object?

[+cache_test_dummies]

Remember that R. Dean Taylor song "Indiana Wants Me"?

 

Refrain:

Repeat line "Indiana wants me, Lord I can't go back there ..." over

and over with background of "This is the police! You are surrounded!

Give yourself up!" ....

 

Dang. Now I can't get that tune out of my head.

[+joefrog]

My take on this. A legitimate call was made about suspicious activity, with a legitimate early response, after that things go wrong. The cache was positively identified as harmless, but was "blown up" anyways. Is it common practice for eod's to blow up everything they investigate, bomb or not?

 

Is this a case of the bomb squad not being able step back and stand down after responding (kinda like the adrenaline infused cop that roughs up a suspect after a high speed chase), or did they decide to use the situation as a training exercise to practice clearing a suspicious object?

My take on that is this: by blowing it up, it keeps them from having to deal with the same problem at the same location. Poof, it's gone.

[+Markwell]

From one of the captions on the photo:

The plastic container the Delware County Bomb Squad detonated lies on a railroad tie near the Tin Lizzy in Blackford County. A man dropped the box off as part of an Internet GPS game where other players track the location and report the findings of the box to the Internet site.

Hmmm... He found the box and replaced it, not dropped it off. MAybe THAT'S why their trying to drag him in...

[MMACH 5]

These stories are becoming typical whether they involve geocaching or not.  The responding officer's discretion (or lack thereof) should be the only thing in question here.

Yep. Ten weeks ago, at DFW airport, with a microphone.

 

http://www.nbc13.com/news/3626469/detail.html

 

Three key differences here:

1) This was in an airport, obviously a higher risk area than an historic train depot.

2) There was not any mention of the owner of the microphone possibly being charged with anything or a suggestion that he "needs to find another (career)"

3)They didn't resort to blowing up or shooting the microphone.

 

Anybody remember the SCTV skit, "Farm Report"?

"That blowed up real good!"

[+Kitch]

I'm also curious if the report of a .50 caliber round being fired at the cache was accurate as I would have expected the cache to have been shot with a typical disruptor which is basically a high powered water cannon.

 

I really need to ask this.....

 

Its bugging me...

 

ok...how in the world do you shot a .50 cal round safety in this area without moving the container??? Bullets bounce!!!

[+ZackJones]

After reading the article I sent an email to the author stating that the url for the geocaching web site was wrong. He replied, thanking me for the correction and then proceded to ask me several questions about Geocaching. I've replied answering his questions as best I could. He said there would be a follow-up article soon. With luck we'll be able to get some positve press out of this incident.

 

Zack

[Pto]

ok...how in the world do you shot a .50 cal round safety in this area without moving the container??? Bullets bounce!!!

 

No kidding! I'd be more worried about someone shooting off a 50 cal, then about someone near an old train!

 

What about ask first, shoot second>?

[+CookCrew]

ok...how in the world do you shot a .50 cal round safety in this area without moving the container??? Bullets bounce!!!

They wouldn't let us anywhere near it so I cannot say if they moved it or not, but they only took one shot.

 

My opinion is they had to have removed it first. It was under the train behind a metal brace with maybe 2" X 10X opening to see from standing next to it. And there was not enough room in line of sight from it for the shooter to be safe if it was a bomb. So they had to have removed it before shooting at it.

[+MountainMudbug]

This kind of situation is exactly why I have such a hard time trying to get my fiance to go caching with me - he looks like what people consider a "terrorist" simply because of his ethnicity, and after all the events of the past few of years he is very afraid that he looks suspicious doing *anything*. He usually refuses to leave the vehicle when I hunt caches.

 

This weekend I even had a hard time getting him to just take a photo of me and my new Jeep in front of a local landmark because he is always scared observers will think he's "recording info for terrorist activities". It is a sad state of affairs when law abiding citizens feel so inhibited in what I'd consider to be normal, fun, safe outings

 

CookCrew, my heart goes out to you, please don't let this keep you from caching in the future.....

[+Sparrowhawk]

Maybe everyone here that reads this and has a response can perhaps do what I have just done and e-mail the reporter that wrote the Star article your thoughts . It may not help much but perhaps we will be able to get a positive spin on things in that Paper .

His e-mail is listed at the top of the story and it is  ricroutledge@hotmail.com

Lets try to support our support and get some positive PR as well ...

I just wrote a polite email to that address and got this response:

 

From Ric Routledge <ricroutledge@hotmail.com>

 

"Please start over.

I wrote a story about it for the Muncie Star Press. You are quoting the

wrong article to the wrong reporter.

Please read the account in thestarpress.com

and call me again.

RR"

 

OK... what's the correct email address, folks? This poor guy is gonna get other emails now that are not for him.

 

(RE_EDIT!!!)

 

Wait, that's him all right. What's going on?

 

I'll have to ask...

 

(SECOND RE-EDIT)

 

OK, I mentioned "Chronicle-Tribune" by mistake and he didn't read any further than that. I should have checked for the original source (the Star Press) before writing so that he WOULD have read further.

 

Never mind...

Edited October 27, 2004 by Sparrowhawk

[+joefrog]

Wait, that's him all right. What's going on?

There are currently two articles being discussed:

 

chronicle-tribune

 

and

 

Star-Press

[+Mr.Benchmark]

This kind of thing, especially the last comment from the sheriff, really chaps my hide. The government needs to understand (and we're doing quite a poor job of holding them to this) that they work for "WE THE PEOPLE."

I didn't much care for the sheriff's response, either, but keep in mind that this poor guy has to respond to the press over something he did that was pretty obviously an overreaction, and looks kinda stupid, after the fact. This guy is elected after all, and how exactly do you explain to the press that:

1. Somebody reported suspicious - we investigate. No problem so far

2. We found the guy reported to be hiding something and talked to him. Again, no problem. (Well, slight problem - he doesn't seem much like a mad bomber.)

3. He told us he was playing a game, the box contained toys and a paper notebook, but we don't listen. Problem is now beginning.

4. He offers to open the box for us - but we decide not to allow this, bring out the bomb squad and move the container and then shoot it. Hey - it really was toys and a paper notebook! Problem is really starting now - we look stupid, and all we did is our job!

 

I think the sheriff was probably quite annoyed at looking stupid. You can't lash out at the brave citizen who came up with the bright idea of "the mad ice-cream store bomber" and called this in, so you blame CookCrew. (I'm sure the citizen in question was thinking that if terrorists take out our ice-cream stores and antique trains, no doubt america will crumble within a few short days. Yes, thanks to brave, clear thinking and observant folks like this, we're all safer!)

 

This isn't exactly anyone's fault - but I bet it's embarrassing to explain to the press, in any case.

 

Why are people so suspicious in Hartford City? It takes a whole lot more than rumaging around in the bushes to get police attention here in Dallas...

[+sept1c_tank]

It was just aired on the Indianapolis NBC affiliate WTHR (channel 13) and I immediately received two phone calls informing me.

 

It's things like this that make you believe the terrorists are winning. When the actions of terrorists cause repercussions that filter into harmless, family friendly games like geocaching, then I guess they are winning.

 

It's a cool, rainy day here in Indianapolis. I think I'll do my bit in the fight against terrorism, and go geocaching. I may even hide a cache.

[+jollybgood]

"It concerned us that he drove by," Mahan said. "(Cook) didn't stop despite seeing all of the police officers in the parking lot, in the area where he had left the container, and he had no good story as to why he drove past."

 

So I guess what the "officer" is saying is that EVERY time we see officers gathered, we should stop our cars, get out and see what is going on. Yeah right! Then he'll whine that people shouldn't rubberneck and should move along so they can do their job more effectively. Can't have it both ways Barney!

I suspect what happened is he drove back by and someone pointed out to the police "That's the GUY!!""

[geotrouvetout]

People have become so ridiculous lately!

 

“the people can always be brought to the bidding of the leaders. That is easy. All you have to do is tell them they are being attacked, and denounce the pacifists for lack of patriotism and exposing the country to danger. It works the same in any country.”

 

This was written by Hermann Goering about 55 some years ago. Please, don’t get me wrong, I do not intend to get political here but it sounds familiar to me and I think that lots of people need to get a life in this country.

 

I don’t think anyone can charge CookCrew of anything; he was not doing anything wrong, not at all. The person who called the cops should be however charged for pulling the alarm for nothing but being paranoid. It’s like the guy who had a shiny object in and out of his pocket and the cops locked up the hood. Turned out it was even not a geocacher LOL. Really guys, what has this country become if we are not allowed to look weird any more and look for plastic boxes behind trees and rocks? It does not only depends on Moggles, but also on us (I do it each time I have the op), educating Moggles about geocaching for one but mostly about keeping it cool about everything looking suspicious. We don’t need another game but that journalist needs another job. This said, it could be a good idea to stick with micro caches in very urban area (but not in parks); I can’t imagine the bomb squad blowing up a 35mm film container saying it could be a bomb. That’s a suggestion for the Groundspeak guys who approve the caches. Besides, I do not hide myself when hunting..."at Rome do like at Rome", so I don't look suspicious even if some nuts might freak out anyway.