CCTV

[+colleda]

We recently had the pleasure of picking up a few caches in London. On our return home it occured to me that London, and other cities in the UK, are saturated with CCTV cameras. I wondered then, are these cameras constantly monitored? If so, can anyone tell me if the people that do the monitoring aware of our hobby and recognise what we are up to? Are COs in London required to seek permission or advise the authorities of a cache placement? Just curious.

[+Beach_hut]

I believe in certain parts of London the police are circulated details of caches and their locations, but a reviewer would be best placed to advise. I think it's anywhere within the SW1 postcode at least?

[+peeebeee]

We recently had the pleasure of picking up a few caches in London. On our return home it occured to me that London, and other cities in the UK, are saturated with CCTV cameras. I wondered then, are these cameras constantly monitored? If so, can anyone tell me if the people that do the monitoring aware of our hobby and recognise what we are up to? Are COs in London required to seek permission or advise the authorities of a cache placement? Just curious.

 

The Geocaching Association of Great Britain guidelines here include the following:

 

Caches should be hidden so as to minimise the chance of security alerts, particularly where there is a liklihood of finders being considered suspicious for example where a cache is overlooked by houses / offices / shops / people. When a cache is placed in an overlooked location, the cache owner should help finders avoid being considered suspicious by offering a clear and unambiguous hint on how to retrieve the cache quickly. Cache owners should mark caches externally with the relevant listing site reference (eg GCxxxxxx, OXxxxxxx, or OCxxxxx) wherever the cache is big enough for this to be written externally. This will offer the Police a better way to identify a suspect package as a geocache.

[+Graculus]

If we get a cache submitted for review which looks likes it's clearly in view from CCTV cameras we may not publish it. Such locations are likely to be prisons, police stations, public buildings etc. In big cities the cameras cover just about everything. As for permission... the guidelines say that by submitting a cache you are saying it has permission.

 

This is the guideline about locations that applies:

Geocaches are not placed in restricted, prohibited or otherwise inappropriate locations.

 

Chris

Graculus

Volunteer UK Reviewer for geocaching.com

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Edited July 11, 2014 by Graculus

[+Happy Humphrey]

If we get a cache submitted for review which looks likes it's clearly in view from CCTV cameras we may not publish it. Such locations are likely to be prisons, police stations, public buildings etc. In big cities the cameras cover just about everything.

So you are saying that no caches in big cities get published?

[+colleda]

I get the thing about permissions.

I was just curious as to whether we are being watched while trying to stealthily find caches and imagining someone sitting at a moniter saying to their supervisor;

"Hey, have a butcher's at this geezer trying to look stealthy" LOL

"Shall we call the met and take the mickey?"

"Nah, looks like he'd have a heart attack. Leave 'im alone. Besides, the cache thingy that's 'sposed to be there's been missing for ages."

"Yeh, OK, but if he starts digging anywhere let me know."

 

On second thought they'd probably have more important things to watch for.