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Thread: Discusion about cleaning up Abandoned Archived Caches

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  1. #1

    Join Date
    Jun 2003
    Location
    North Wales
    Posts
    675

    Exclamation Discusion about cleaning up Abandoned Archived Caches

    A discussion has been taking place on Groundspeak's UK Forum, in regards to completely abandoned and Archived caches, being uplifted.

    https://forums.groundspeak.com/GC/in...owtopic=310267

    where I made a suggestion as a Member and Not as a Volunteer Groundspeak Reviewer

    As a Member so not "Officially" representing Groundspeak, but simply voicing my own personal opinion, I am free to express a opinion.

    And that is I would like to see a system put in place, where 6 months after a cache has been Archived [or whatever name is used] from "All" Listing Sites. A volunteer goes out to check that the container has been uplifted. To this aim, a Points system is set up, 1 point for physically going to check, where a Owner has not confirmed that the container has been uplifted. 3 points for actually uplifting a abandoned container.

    At the end of each 12 month period, individuals scores are tallied, and the person with the highest amount of points per Region and for the UK as a whole is awarded a Badge for their profile. And possibly funded by donations, a Trackable, or other Geocaching related prize.

    This is a Project that would be suitable for the GAGB to run, with Volunteers co-opted by the Committee, to run the project on their behalf. If the GAGB was to take this one, I'd personally be happy to make donations to fund prizes such as Trackables.
    The OP of that topic posted

    That scheme, assuming that we couldn't get enough people to volunteer just out of the goodness of their heart, would be great I'm certainly happy to be the volunteer for the new forest. I'm not associated with the GAGB at the moment so would be grateful if you'd suggest it to them.
    As such I am happy to comply with that request.

    Dave
    Mancunian Pyrocacher Member Account

    Please feel to quote this post, but please make it clear if you do, that it has been made SOLELY under my Member Account, and is solely my own personal and private opinion.
    My post is my personal opinion and as such you do not have my permission to quote me outside of these forums!

    Dave
    Brenin Tegeingl
    Formerly known as Mancunian Pyrocacher on GC

  2. #2

    Join Date
    Aug 2005
    Posts
    184

    Default

    just playing devils advocate

    who gives us the right to remove another persons property, who knows we could end up being reported to the police for theft

  3. #3

    Join Date
    Nov 2010
    Posts
    221

    Default

    I think that this is a great idea. There are however hurdles to overcome having regard to theft/appropriation of property;

    I believe that as long as the 'finder' or 'uplifter' is of the state of mind that the item had been abandoned by the owner and that taking steps to return the item to the owner (or believes that those steps) would have failed means that there is no 'theft' this appears to be covered under 'dishonest appropriation'

    There is no dishonest appropriation - 'if he appropriates the property in the belief that he would have the other’s consent if the other knew of the appropriation and the circumstances of it; or

    (except where the property came to him as trustee or personal representative) if he appropriates the property in the belief that the person to whom the property belongs cannot be discovered by taking reasonable steps.'


    Maybe there ought to be an 'opt in' box for UK Geocaches stating that if the geocache is archived for the agreed period and appears abandoned then I agree to the container being removed by a third party.

    (I am already seeing that this would be a difficult - but responsible - area to get into)
    Failures are finger posts on the road to achievement.

  4. #4

    Join Date
    Nov 2009
    Location
    Shropshire
    Posts
    1,094

    Default

    I have removed a few archived caches from the field on occasion, having checked they were not listed on terracaching or opencaching. I have always e-mailed the cache owner through their GC.com account to tell them I have their caches and to let me know if they would like them back or if it would be OK to put them back into circulation.

    If I hear nothing in 3 months I re-use the cache containers. A couple were ammo boxes and the CO replied to me, agreeing to them being re-used so they went as raffle prizes at an event.
    GAGB Member since 2009
    UK Mega West Mids Committee - Treasurer 2011 - 2013
    GAGB Committee - Treasurer 2016 -

  5. #5

    Join Date
    Mar 2013
    Posts
    58

    Default

    I think this is a great idea and would be happy to volunteer in the area I live in.
    If you contact the owner as border caz has done with a foot not to say if there is no reply within a set time limit you will re-use the cache this would prevent any theft allegations as you have made reasonable steps to return the item and you are not intending to permanently deprive the owner of their property. Another way round this is for the person recovering the cache to report the "found" property to their local police station. They would then have an official report number and if the cache is not claimed after 3 months it can be legally claimed by the finder. There is no need to leave the cache at the police station, you can keep it at home as long as you do not dispose of it.
    I could see that to add the clause mentioned by northking into the GAGB guidelines is the most sensible way to go with this. As then anyone placing a cache will have agreed to having an abandoned cache recovered. The next step would then be for GAGB to ask Groundspeak to add it to their rules.


    :socool:

  6. #6

    Join Date
    Nov 2010
    Posts
    221

    Default

    In my opinion, I don't think that this is a groundspeak matter, and they are so concerned about litigation that the mere mention of 'theft' or 'misappropriation' would bring the whole idea grinding to a permanent halt.
    Failures are finger posts on the road to achievement.

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