And He Got the Cache Published.

Geocache player broke all the rules of Internet treasure hunt

Mike Vogel
Idaho's NewsChannel 7 BOISE, ID

Tuesday’s closure of Highway 55 has brought a lot of attention to something called geocaching.
Police say this green bucket beneath the Rainbow Bridge contains trinkets for a popular Internet treasure hunt game known as geocaching. It did not contain explosives as first feared.

This was not the first time that a geocache has been mistaken for a possible bomb. Police say it was the third or fourth time the Boise bomb squad has responded to a false alarm. For people who participate in Internet treasure hunts known as geocaching, there are very specific rules and guidelines to follow. But just about every one of those rules was broken when this geocache was placed underneath the Rainbow Bridge.

“It's not illegal to play these games, but the bridge is state property, just use common sense, put it by a tree or something,” said Scott Tollersen, Idaho State Police.

Common sense is one thing that would have avoided a lot of headaches for motorists and police on Tuesday. Idaho 55 had to be shutdown because of a suspicious looking green bucket that turned out to be part of an Internet treasure hunt known as a geocache. The other important thing police say those involved in geocaching should do is follow the rules of the game.

“What we suggest is follow the guidelines on the Web site, don't place it in historical locations, or on historical structures, don't place it on bridges or schools or other places that could potentially be a terrorist target,” said Kip Higby, Boise Police bomb technician.

Originally, the caches were placed off of trails or where there isn't normally a lot of traffic. Authorities say you should ask for permission if you place a geocache on private lands and make sure you find out the rules before hiding it in a national park. And finally, choosing the right container can help out any law enforcement that might come across them.

“We also encourage on their geochache to put it on a clear plastic container, rather than something that can't be seen into, if we can see into it we can rule it out rather easily,” said Tollersen.

Meanwhile, Valley County is still looking into filing charges against the man who placed that geocache under the bridge.