Geocaching Shuts Down Wal-Mart

Pennsylvania police evacuate a Wal-Mart after confusing geocache box for a weapon of terror

Geocaching (a game where players use a GPS to find a hidden goodie box placed somewhere—usually in the wilderness—by other geocachers) catches quite a bit of flak in the hiking community, mostly because of obvious leave-no-trace issues. But on Tuesday, geocachers ran afoul of Pennsylvania police on much more serious charges: The fuzz evacuated an Oil Creek Township Wal-Mart after mistaking a black geocache box in the parking lot for a weapon of mass destruction.

There were between 40 and 50 people in the Titusville Wal-Mart at the time of the police-ordered evacuation after the package was discovered, according to a Wal-Mart employee who did not want to be identified.

There were no injuries reported and the Erie Police Department bomb squad was called in to dispose of the box. It was destroyed in the parking lot by the bomb squad around 1 p.m.

The interesting part? Cops destroyed the box after figuring out it was used for geocaching. Guess somebody hates geocachers even more than hardcore leave-no-trace hikers.

The saddest part? Right now, there's probably some hapless geocacher staring alternately at his Garmin and a hole in the asphalt, yelling to the heavens, "WHERE IS IT?!"

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—Ted Alvarez

Goecache game forces Wal-Mart evacuation (Meadville Tribune)

Thanks to Tim Shisler

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READERS COMMENTS

Geocaching is great. It is a great vehicle for getting people out and hiking and exploring and going new places. Geocaches are not allowed in natl parks, historic locations, or other sensitive environments. But it does cause people to explore the outdoors in new ways. And yes, Geocaching has a big Cache In Trash Out program.
Posted: Mar 14, 2009 anon coward

Sorry about the multiple posts. I'm hot sure how that happened.
Posted: Feb 18, 2009 jeffbouldin

Geocaching has lots of faces, and I will be the first to admit that some of them are not very flattering.

On the other hand, it introduces an appreciation of the wild places of the earth to many who otherwise might miss out. We all share the great outdoors and we should work together when possible to preserve it while finding new ways to bring a new generation to appreciate it.

Posted: Feb 18, 2009 Dave S

I am a geocacher and a hiker.
Geocachers do a lot to help the environment. I practice Cache In Trash Out, as do many of my friends. Since caches are often placed in well known places at least someone is taking the litter away.
Posted: Feb 18, 2009 SD

If you are a cacher...just be a little more sensitive to todays society...because you know that even harmless flashing signs can be construed as weapons of mass destruction. Paranoid?
Posted: Feb 18, 2009 Danny