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Geocaching Shuts Down British Town

Posted by samzenpus on from the everyone-panic dept.

DaveAtWorkAnnoyingly writes "Many geocachers will be thinking twice when planting their treasure in an urban space as one geocacher found out in England after the police cordoned off the center of a small West Yorkshire town and the Bomb Squad was called in. From the article: 'It was a normal busy Friday morning in the small West Yorkshire market town of Wetherby when someone working in a café spotted a man acting a bit suspiciously on the street. He appeared to have a small plastic box in his hand and after fiddling with the container he bent down and hid it under a flower box standing on the pavement. He then walked off, talking to somebody on his phone.'"

28 of 282 comments (clear)

  1. Honestly... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 4, Insightful

    People need to lighten up. This is getting out of hand.

    1. Re:Honestly... by FatdogHaiku · · Score: 5, Funny

      Yes, they have already seen American werewolves. Warevolves are something new :P

      The dreaded Tupper Warewolf is the worst. In spite of what they think, these beasts do not know how to party...
      They can however keep food miraculously fresh for days!

      --
      You have the right to remain sentient. If you give up the right to remain sentient, you will be elected to public office
    2. Re:Honestly... by DrXym · · Score: 5, Insightful

      Sleepy English towns and villages can be like this, more so in Scotland and Wales

      The UK is no stranger to bombing campaigns from the IRA, muslim extremists and even the odd loony. It is highly predictable that if you bury a suspicious package in a high street someone is going to ring the police. Not everyone is aware of some esoteric nerd pasttime that involves such acts.

      If you really must bury something somewhere like that, go get a policeman you doing it, preferably with a sheet of paper that explains its legalities. Better yet, don't do it in the middle of a high street and find somewhere more rural to do it.

    3. Re:Honestly... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Insightful

      The fact that this happened only days before the anniversary of the 7/7 bombings in London can't have helped...

    4. Re:Honestly... by SenseiLeNoir · · Score: 5, Interesting

      Again, the UK has HAD real bombing campaigns by the IRA, etc.

      I still remember how the IRA in the old days woudl "dispose" of a bomb in a litter bin in a station, which woudl then blow up. This is why most railway statiosn in the UK dont haev bins, and when they do, its just a clear bag on a frame, so that the contents can be observed.

      If a member of the public sees a person hiding a metal box in the ground in a shady way, then walking away talking on the phone, it is not inconcivable to assume that the person is doing somethgin wrong. I certainly would.

      Closing off an area is only prudent, what if it WAS a bomb... and people got hurt....

      Controlled blowing up the package is often the right thing, remember these things may have booby traps and tamper protection. and if all there is is a closed metal box, woudl you risk opening it?

      As the parent says, the UK, is no stranger to these things, and its the way it works. There are plenty of signs urging the public to be vigilent, and report suspect packages, etc. And this was true even before 9/11

      --
      Have a nice day!
    5. Re:Honestly... by jeremyp · · Score: 3, Insightful

      Had the police known it was a harmless package in advance, I'd understand your point. Unfortunately, in the UK, we have had some experience of harmless looking packages in the past.

      You do understand the difference between "harmless" and "harmless looking" don't you?

      --
      All I want is a secure system where it's easy to do anything I want. Is that too much to ask ~~ Randall Munroe
    6. Re:Honestly... by SenseiLeNoir · · Score: 3, Interesting

      Ok, I have had a though about my above comment, and sat down and thought. Actually, the whole "the terrorists have won" concept is very new.

      The UK, has been subject to terrorism far longer than 9/11. We had the IRA trying it on and succeeding very often. Sure their methods were different than the current fundamentalists, as well as their reasons.

      Prior to 9/11 and even Tony Blair and New Labour, the governments view was very simple. Get on with your life and dont succumb to fear, otherwise the Terrorists have won. Sure the media often whip up frenzy, but the message from the authorities was very clear.

      As part of the policy then, processes were created about how to report suspicious packages and then for the police to handle them. These processes were NOT designed to create fear, but to REDUCE fear, by giving confidence that we all can report suspcious behaviour without fear, and also deal with it in a systematic way. the main message alwasy was to not let fear of these people ruin your life or freedom to live, and the UK was often well priased for its balenced, tationalistic and confident way of working. Hence despite the UK having MORE threat of bombings then compared to the present, the impression people got was that the UK was safer then than now.

      So what has changed? Well since Labour came in power in 1997, two things started happening. The first thing was that the Government started not just pandering to the media, but also even helping the media in their whipping up of frenzy.

      Look at the way Princess Diana's death was handled by the government and the media.

      The second thing that happend was the the new government developed a view that the "government should make laws and have processes to fend off threats" IT pandered to the "think of the children" policy. IT gave the impression that people were no longer ressponsible for controlling parts of their life, and instead there shoudl be support groups/laws and insitutions to do best. It empowered people whilst also taking away responsibility.

      This gave short term comfort, but in the long term, it caused more anxiety, as people fear what they cant control. this itself create more laws to solve the problems.

      Then along came 9/11. and the later london bombings. Instead of ensuring that the prominent message was "get on with your life, dont let these idiots win", instead people were crying for MORE laws, and rules, and procedures, and allowing the fires of fear to be fueled ever more strongly, leading to a vicous circle.

      There are people who follow the old way of thinking, but a huge younger generation (as well as some older) who follow the post 9/11 way fo thinking.

      If we continue to think in the "new" way, then the terrorists have one. Instead we shoudl understand how we can work with autorities, but do so not on the concept of fear, but rational behaviour.

      --
      Have a nice day!
  2. Muggles by daitengu · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Often times caches specifically state "DO NOT SEARCH IN VIEW OF MUGGLES". "Muggles" being those unfamiliar with geocaching. This is a perfect reason why to heed those words.

    no, honestly, this is dumb. the terrorists have won.

    1. Re:Muggles by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 4, Insightful

      The terrorists always win. The thing people don't seem to really understand is who the terrorists are.

    2. Re:Muggles by mabinogi · · Score: 5, Insightful

      It didn't, and the police even said they have no real problem with it, but would appreciate being told about caches in urban areas so as to avoid this sort of misunderstanding in the future.

      --
      Advanced users are users too!
    3. Re:Muggles by Don_dumb · · Score: 5, Funny

      It didn't, and the police even said they have no real problem with it, but would appreciate being told about caches in urban areas so as to avoid this sort of misunderstanding in the future.

      It didn't, and the police even said they have no real problem with it, but would appreciate being told about caches in urban areas so as to avoid this sort of misunderstanding in the future.

      Either that or they just want to cheat

      --
      If this were really happening, what would you think?
    4. Re:Muggles by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Insightful

      So all I need to do is tell the cops there is a cache somewhere and they'll ignore my bomb?

      Sweet.

    5. Re:Muggles by Darinbob · · Score: 3, Insightful

      This is not dumb. Most people know nothing about geocaching. Someone looks furtively around and hides something plastic then scuttles off. You don't have to be in a sleepy town to call the police on this, it should be happening in large cities too.

    6. Re:Muggles by TheRaven64 · · Score: 3, Informative

      It's also worth noting that the IRA actually did place bombs like this in rubbish bins in London and other places through the '90s. It's not like this is some kind of hypothetical terrorist movie plot, this is a modus operandi that real terrorists have used.

      --
      I am TheRaven on Soylent News
    7. Re:Muggles by digitig · · Score: 3, Insightful

      It didn't.

      Wrong. They gave the last person to find the cache (!) a police caution, which means that they now have a criminal record.

      --
      Quidnam Latine loqui modo coepi?
    8. Re:Muggles by delinear · · Score: 3, Insightful

      The aim of terrorism is to disrupt the daily lives of others and spread fear. They've got us so on edge that we'll shut down a town for the sake of a plastic tupperware box that wasn't even planted by a terrorist. I'd say that's mission accomplished? When you get to the point where you don't even need bombs or martyrs anymore to throw a spanner in the works of everyone's daily lives, yeah that's an indicator you're winning.

    9. Re:Muggles by jittles · · Score: 4, Funny

      So, if you have something to hide, you shouldn't do geocaching. But, if you have nothing to hide, you have nothing to worry about!

      I can't imagine Geocaching would be very fun if you had nothing to hide!

  3. It's all about goals by Sarten-X · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Isn't this the very goal of terrorism? To disrupt our daily activities with irrational fear?

    --
    You do not have a moral or legal right to do absolutely anything you want.
    1. Re:It's all about goals by Intrepid+imaginaut · · Score: 4, Insightful

      I think those in power view it as a positive side effect. ;)

    2. Re:It's all about goals by Kjella · · Score: 4, Interesting

      It seems to me terrorists used to have some more ulterior goals (ransom, release of prisoners, independence, publicity) not just invoke fear. That is why up to 9/11 they expected hijackers to land and make their demands, not just ram them into buildings. This whole "it'll cost us a million to do and a billion for you do defend against" seems more like a style of guerrilla or economic warfare, trying to make the US crumble under its own weight like the Soviet Union did.

      I mean, it doesn't seem to me that al-Qaeda has much they'd really like to talk about, we're infidels and for the most part they'd just like us to die or throw ourselves to the ground and beg for Allah's mercy or something like that. It's not exactly like videos of them slitting captured people's throats are meant to bring us to the negotiation table. And the more they seem like homicidal maniacs, the less I feel like leaving that cancer to spread.

      --
      Live today, because you never know what tomorrow brings
  4. Not the first time by Pesticidal · · Score: 3, Informative

    Bomb scare!
    I'm sure there are dozens of other instances of this happening around the world since the whole geocaching thing started.

  5. Re:Idiot cafe worker by Minwee · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Really? A bomb... that's a danger to people on the street... yet small enough to fit in the palm of one's hand? Is shrapnel really considered a terrorist threat nowadays?

    They're called "Hand Grenades" for a reason, you know. It's because they can fit in the palm of one's hand. And they have a long history of being a danger to people.

    Or did he think its antimatter explosion would eradicate the entire city block?

    No, but he probably thought that a modern anti-personnel grenade was capable of throwing fragments over two hundred meters away. That makes for an area about _five_ city blocks long that could get quite uncomfortable for passers-by, with a "what's left of you will wish you were dead" zone about a third of a city block across at the centre. The real thing is nothing at all like Counter-Strike.

    But, you know what? You're right. I'm just being silly. After all, nobody ever sets off bombs in England, so I'm sure there's no reason for anyone to worry about anything. Ever.

  6. German police quite relaxed - a true story by Lord+Azrael · · Score: 4, Interesting

    On my daily walks with the dog i one day spotted something in a silver box near the path and found it was a small aluminium box. I personally did not think that it could be related to geocaching at all and called the local polica station and asked them what to do, as in this case it was me who was afraid to touch or open it because i thought this is a bomb ... Well, one of the first things this police officer said was

    "i bet this is one of those geocaching boxes, that is not uncommon these days"
    So i asked him: "shall i really open it"
    officer: "yes, open it"
    "and what if it is a bomb and i blow up?"
    officer: "then i will keep my ears shut!" :-)

    of course there was nothing interesting in this box and no bomb at all. but i really had to laugh about this quite cool and funny officer

    --
    Lord "not Gargamel's Cat!" Azrael
    1. Re:German police quite relaxed - a true story by AGMW · · Score: 4, Informative

      Why would you think that a small box you find is a bomb? No, seriously - why the fuck would you think that?

      UK People of a certain age look upon any strange object as a possible threat because of years and years of the IRA (and more latterly the RIRA) leaving bombs in rubbish bins (AKA "trash cans) and the like. Hell, they even left pipe bombs near schools and a pipe bomb could easily be a geocache!! Let's not forget that the US, through NORAID, funded these people too. War On Terror ... yer, now people are blowing the US up!

      It's been a while in mainland Britain, but the memories of pubs being blown up in London, shopping centres around the country ... any soft target where people would otherwise just be going about their daily lives, well, it leaves an indelible mark. Maybe the kids can grow up differently now as the current crop of terrorists seem only keen on the big grandstanding attacks, and of course the IRA (& RIRA) never had anyone even nearly stupid enough to consider being a suicide bomber, though many blew themselves up by mistake.

      Anyway, just don't leave any unattended bags or stuff when travelling around the UK ... and now you know why!

      --
      Eclectic beats from Leeds, UK
      handmadehands.co.uk
  7. Remember Warrington by fremsley471 · · Score: 5, Informative

    This is not an over-reaction. Here in the UK, terrorism on such a scale used to happen pretty regularly- for example, see the children killed in the second attack here http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Warrington_bomb_attacks. Political agreement in Northern Ireland mostly halted the war, but one positive thing that came out of September 11th was the extinguishing of monies and good-will from the US for any sort of terrorism.

    1. Re:Remember Warrington by fremsley471 · · Score: 3, Interesting

      I was in a pub in central London one autumn Saturday afternoon in 1992. Police hassled us to leave quickly, i.e. "freaking out", and I remember thinking, "Hey, what's the fuss?" The next week, a bomb left in the same pub killed one (barman) and injured 4 others. Also what's changed is that coded warnings and the expectation of a reductions in casualties are now not expected.

      Totally agreed however, that most security theatre is useless and serves mainly as a way for the ruling classes to completely isolate themselves from the rest of us (literally) poor buggers. But don't hide things under litter bins then expect people to have short memories.

  8. Re:At least police were nice about it. by martin-boundary · · Score: 3, Insightful

    "If you feel as though you have to do that, then perhaps contact the police, let us know where it is, give us a description and perhaps a picture and a contact number would be very useful."

    That's ridiculous, this isn't the 60s anymore. The police should just zoom in the CCTV footage and x-ray the box through Photoshop, then use face recognition to contact the would be geocacher's mobile phone directly and leave a message confirming that the paperwork is being filed electronically already.

  9. Re:Stupidity = Enemy of the state. by Xaositecte · · Score: 4, Informative

    Very recent domestic terrorists in the UK have performed this exact same activity to achieve disastrous results. It's not like the states where some assholes flew a plane into a building 10 years ago, innocent-looking packages are still a real and justified concern.

    As the performing parties, it's geocachers who need to be aware of this fact, and take caution to avoid unnecessary suspicion of their activities.