Vandalized Caches

[+cache_r_joe]

At our local CITO Day some of the guys found 2 caches that were vandalized. One had contents of the cache emptied and doggy dung scooped inside. These were off the beaten path.

 

I'm wondering if others are finding this kind of thing and what have you done to prevent it?

 

Joe

[+welch]

Total prevention?? no clue

 

But people doing such things usally lose interest pretty quick when you A. Ignore them, B. fix the problem like it happens all the time, no big deal.

[+Joypa]

Welcome to the geocaching world. Yeah, some people are evil. When it happens to me, I archive the cache and move on.

[tiber]

Hmmmm, anyone else notice the amount of cache vandalism seems to be on the up and up?

[+Joypa]

Cache vandalism is, by definition, most certainly not on the up and up. It may be increasing but it is definitely not honest and ethical.

[+Lil Devil]

As the number of caches increases, the number of vandalized caches will also increase. Nature of the beast. Just replace it and move on.

[+welch]

Hmmmm, anyone else notice the amount of cache vandalism seems to be on the up and up?

To quote Lil Devil

As the number of caches increases, the number of vandalized caches will also increase. Nature of the beast. Just replace it and move on.

[+BlueDeuce]

Total prevention??      no clue

Most of the 25 leg multi's we have around here are pretty much immune. Well the first three legs might be vulnerable, but most vandals are lazy.

Edited April 22, 2005 by BlueDeuce

[+kent1915]

For me, three strikes and it is archived. Only one of the ones I have set out has gotten that far. Each comeback is hidden a bit different, to thwart lazy vandals...

[+pwcorg]

Bear traps??

[+welch]

Total prevention??      no clue

Most of the 25 leg multi's we have around here are pretty much immune. Well the first three legs might be vulnerable, but most vandals are lazy.

That probably deters more than just the vandals

[tiber]

Bear traps??

For one of the caches I'm thinking about placing (near a river), I'm going to be chaining the ammocan to a nearby rock. Even if it means lugging a bag of cement two miles from parking to the cache site, to glue the chain down or build my own rock. That's why God invented the alice pack... Aside of preventing the cache from washing away when the river rises, it should also protect the can from walking off. I've also heard of people attaching combination locks to caches and posting the number with the cache to prevent muggling.

[+AtoZ]

Well I jsut had to archive a cache because some road crew dump pile of dirt on it and now it is under 10 feet of dirt, UGH LOL. A long time ago, well relatively speaking, I read post of cache vandalism and thought "Thank God it isn't happening in my area." Well now it has happened and probable will happen some more has it increased no I have just become more aware, know more folks who cache etc... it is always going to happen and is just part of the game.

Cheers

[+M&DofKJE]

We had 3 regulars and 5 micros on a local island. If they are urban macros, if they are vandalized or muggled, they shrink in the wash and become micros. The island is now 8 micros. I find micros are cheap to replace. My rule of thumb as to when to archive it is 3 mugglings in a 6 month period. Now if I can just keep cachers from muggling a cache then maintainence becomes easier.

[+M-T-P]

OR, you COULD always beat them to their own game and put out a cache ALREADY full of doggie doo! What do you think about that?

[+Robespierre]

We had 3 regulars and 5 micros on a local island. If they are urban macros, if they are vandalized or muggled, they shrink in the wash and become micros. The island is now 8 micros. I find micros are cheap to replace. My rule of thumb as to when to archive it is 3 mugglings in a 6 month period. Now if I can just keep cachers from muggling a cache then maintainence becomes easier.

If I had that kind of muggle record, I'd just have to think that I was doing something really wrong. Don't mean to be argumentative, and I know it's tougher in a cache-dense area, but if muggles are trippin' over 'em that much, then it's not a good location.

[+M&DofKJE]

I understand, but we like the high risk ones. It's amazing how many of our micros DON'T go missing. For us, it's part of the adventure! (Actually, you talk about a cache dense area, Daytona was nearly cache devoid till we started...)

[mufasa1023]

Even if it means lugging a bag of cement two miles from parking to the cache site, to glue the chain down or build my own rock

 

i put a cache inside a birdhouse alongside a trail recently and locked it with a padlock.....someone decided they really wanted it so they destroyed the birdhouse but left the combo lock in place just a thought.....

[bug and snake]

OR, you COULD always beat them to their own game and put out a cache ALREADY full of doggie doo!  What do you think about that?

Yeah, with a great big spring and some kind of trigger on it and ZAP - got ya!

 

i put a cache inside a birdhouse alongside a trail recently and locked it with a padlock.....someone decided they really wanted it so they destroyed the birdhouse but left the combo lock in place just a thought.....

 

I find this even worse in some ways than a cache maggot - pure destruction for no reason. (unless, did they know it was a cache?

 

As others have said however, this kind of thing will always be a feature of caching.

 

Sad..... Sympathy to all concerned, I know what it is like. Been there.....

[+We'veLostOurMap]

We are kinda new at this, and we just recently had one go missing. I mean, there is no trace, we are considering not putting another one back in that area......should we go ahead and try it again? It's a really neat cemetery with an awesome view, I'd hate to put another one there and it go missing as well!

 

Thanks for any advice!!

[+Robespierre]

We are kinda new at this, and we just recently had one go missing. mad.gif I mean, there is no trace, we are considering not putting another one back in that area......should we go ahead and try it again? It's a really neat cemetery with an awesome view, I'd hate to put another one there and it go missing as well!

-average cache is in a city park: you can improve on that hide by changing the style of your cache, and being more "extreme." So, maybe a nice fake rock, or a hollowed log that looks very weathered but comes apart....etc.

 

-a micro: better container, more consideration about where you're sticking it. I have only one micro, but it's in a chiseled out stump and re-covered with wood pieces to look natural. Very public place right beside swings, slide, ballfield, etc.

 

-I have an ammo box in a depression under a flat rock just 3' from a well-used trail, but it is "just around a corner" where bushes shield most activity and a patient cacher will be OK any time.

[+We'veLostOurMap]

The missing cache was in a cemetery, up a very steep hill, under a 9 foot bush that was a grouping of 4 (like a square) It was hidden back underneath, but it was also stuck in the tree. (hard to explain) We didn't think anyone would other than a geocacher would find it, let alone bother it. We even let the groundskeeper know it was there. Our other 2 micros are still safe and sound! Hmmm.....very frustrating!

Edited April 24, 2005 by We'veLostOurMap