Safeguarding/cp - Outside Of School/ In The Wider Community

[Guest]

One of my sisters and her family have taken up geocaching (modern day treasure hunt using GPS technology like Sat Nav). She's naturally competitive and wants to find all the geo caches(like treasure boxes) in our area. She mentioned that one of the geocaches has been placed opposite someone's house (with the same name of the cache/treasure box) and the person who placed it is the homeowner who watches people find it. Initially I thought - ah yes they just want to see how many people find it! The she revealed some of the comments - people conscious of someone watching in the opposite house, feeling very uncomfortable, sometimes easily found, other times not and having to spend a lot of time trying to and not finding it despite the person who found it previously finding it very easily and the clue being misleading, going round other ways to find it to avoid being spotted. Also amongst the comments are people mentioning themselves and their children looking for it.

 

She is now avoiding this cache/treasure as it has set off alarms bells in her mind and as a parent, she does not want to expose her children to any risk. (The reason it came up was because it was in the same village of where we went for a meal out). She is one of a few young families I know who have started taking up this hobby. My 'teacher' alarm bells have gone off too! A quick search on the internet reveals the homeowner of the property and my initial thought of who this person could be in terms of age etc is all wrong but still makes me suspicious! Part of me thinks I should raise it but then to whom? Then I have no evidence of any wrongdoing only comments freely on a public website which is freely available to anyone who knows where this cache is or is looking for caches. On the other side, I don't want to waste police time and the last time I had to deal with the police (due to a drive off after an accident - not me driving off I hasten to add) I was messed about and given conflicting advice from 2 police forces which would have ended up with me in the wrong (as it happened in another county) - at the end of the day, they didn't do anything about it and really don't want to get involved, but my 'teacher' mindset says I should as you never know what the police might know and need a missing piece. Plus I remember reading someone else's post about a young girl and the police and their attitude at the time. (Sorry if I have read it wrong|)

 

Am I getting myself into a bother about this? I do have other things I should be and need to be doing rather than thinking about this but before I 'forget' this, should I do something and raise it - but with whom? Don't want to mention it to the head when I get back - I've caused her enough paperwork last term (not CP I hasten to add!!!!!)

[finleysmaid]

i think ...from what i know...that these sites are registered and monitored by an agency i would suggest that you contact them and have a word...or email and raise your suspicions. They are set up as family friendly i am sure that they will take your feelings seriously.Good luck

[Guest]

I have just emailed them - they are based in the US and rather surprisingly there were no answers when I searched the help database!