Our geocaching behaviour

mundoo · Post by **mundoo** » 12 February 09 8:48 am

I am on several forums and one is related to the CFS (Country Fire Service) in SA. This was posted in that forum after Saturday's extreme conditions.

Now discount that the people were arsonists and had placed fire devices and substitute they were geocachers looking for a geocache and the similarity in behaviour is scary.

we had a post go up recently from one of our members who is a teacher at the local school. She was talking with the head master who lives at Panorama just below Belair and the Lynton train tunnels. Here is that story.
"At 3 on Saturday arvo, a car had parked outside his house and a guy jumped the neighbours fence and went into the scrub (which is where the tunnel is).
They thought that was suspicious so he rang the police with the rego details and before they knew it they were surrounded by police patrols and dog squad. It turns out they had traced him to be a well known arsonist."

This was coupled with the input from another of our members who is a police officer at Sturt Police station and was at work that afternoon who said..

" Yes I was working that night, there was major panic when the devices were found near the tunnel, pity for the dog handler and dog, they tracked up hill from Lynton all the way to Gloucester ave, Belair.
comments were made about how the council had now made it easier for the pyro's by putting lots of cycle and walking tracks in that area."
So they actually found some fire lighting devices in the area!
Bearing in mind Saturday afternoon was at the height of the bad weather (43 degrees and blowing a gale) this ran a chill up my spine in just how close we came to what almost certainly would have been a massive and fatal bushfire through Belair, Blackwood, Crafers Mt lofty etc etc...
What it was that saved us was a vigilant neighbour. This has to be promoted as the best way to combat this style of fire, because on that sort of day, once the fire is going it is already too late!
And then of course there was the 3 arson attacks by some unbelievable moron in national park yesterday! (I don't know if these are connected or not) but I sure wish the Police luck with their work getting a hold of these people.

Post by **caughtatwork** » 12 February 09 9:47 am

The main difference is that arsonists would be breaking the law and geocachers aren't.

Yes there would a visit from the authorities, but there would be nothing they can do to punish you.

I've been visited by the police while geocaching (I even have video of being sprunbg somewhere) and while they think I'm weird, there's nothing they can do.

However, suspicious avtivity should be notified to the authorities. It's their decision to attend and investigate.

Be alert, not alarmed.

Alansee · Post by **Alansee** » 12 February 09 12:47 pm

<p>
The more people out there doing legitimate and fun things then the more likely that anyone doing the wrong thing will be discovered.
<p>
Mind you, I am not sure that I would be out there in 40+ degree heat jumping neighbours fences.

Richary · Post by **Richary** » 12 February 09 10:48 pm

I agree that caching can look suspicious. We disappear into the bush with a backpack and reappear shortly afterwards. To make matters worse as a smoker I will have a lighter on me (though if I do light one up in the bush I make very sure it is stubbed out properly and the butt taken back out with me).

It reminds me when I was about 12 in Canberra riding through the bush near home with a friend. We saw smoke up the road, as soon as we arrived these other kids buggered off and we started trying to put out the small fire as best we could. Of course shortly after the fire trucks and police arrived and we were questioned about it. But they seemed to believe our version of the story, and of course couldn't prove anything (though we weren't searched for matches or anything).

Just be honest about it, and I suspect jumping a neighbour's fence probably looks suss to start with. Use the proper access points to get to a cache. Not that in those conditions I would want to go bushwalking anyway, apart from the risks of heat stress I wouldnt want to be in the bush given the risk of fires in those conditions. And on foot if something happened you have a lot less options for surviving.

bowforce · Post by **bowforce** » 13 February 09 4:43 pm

I often feel like I am doing the wrong thing when geocaching. Some are hidden in strange spots and must make people think what we are up to. LIke other posts I think that not caching on hot days is a good idea. All this and I am a police officer and I know I would be stopping to chat with people in the bush on a hot day!

rediguana · Post by **rediguana** » 13 February 09 11:59 pm

I thought about this too whilst ducking into the scrub in NSW and ACT over the past week. Having run into the police on numerous occasions now when caching, the best course is definitely to be open, honest and explain geocaching to them. An arsonist isn't likely to be open and honest - so playing the up front card will certainly help. Don't try and hide that you're geocaching - that will just make you more suspicious.

I actually pre-emptively approached an AFP officer in Canberra after he had watched us find a cache, we went off to do another, and when we drove back past he was looking at the cache.

Just be honest, and explain what you're doing, and if possible, show them the cache.

Derringer · Post by **Derringer** » 14 February 09 6:20 pm

Team Derringer have always been aware of how suspicious our activity looks to others,

We have taken the step of minimising our caching activities for a few weeks until the fires settle down.

We do few urban caches (personal choice), but would not like to be found by a group of vigilantes thinking we are arsonists.
Emotions are running high at present.

Consider how your actions look to others when looking for those caches in local bushland or parks

Much of our beloved high country is off limits at present,
Time to think of a future trip out Grampians way.

Kevin