BUSTED! Detecting Stopped By Police Officer!

Frodov

Bronze Member
May 24, 2007
1,021
34
Lexington, KY
Detector(s) used
Whites Prism IV / Bullseye II pinpointer
Boy! You just never know what kind of day you are going to have do you? I mean you start the day like any other day, put in your time at work to make a buck and pay your taxes and hopefully a little left over for your own needs and wants. You mind your own business and play by the rules. You don't bother anyone and go about the pursuit of your hobbies peacefully and with no malice towards anyone else. *sigh* And then someone comes along and says STOP!
Well it's not as bad as it sounds. <mischevious grin>...

Monday... I'm writing this Wednesday due to other demands of my time.. was just such a day. I had not anticipated getting out and indulging in any detecting because it was raining lightly when I awoke and made my way to work. However, as the day progressed, the weather improved. It improved to the point that by quitting time it was downright pleasant outside! WOW! Cool! YIPPEE!!! I knew it was still be someone soggy though but on such a pretty day I knew the tot lots and playgrounds would be swamped with kiddies getting out of school (forgot that this week is Spring Break locally)... Anyway I figured I'd try my luck at the baseball fields I'd recently discovered beside the airport (Bluegrass Field). It was still early in the afternoon and I knew the teams wouldn't be playing any games or holding practices till sometime around 5:00 or later. So, that's where I went.
I'd detected this "park" recently and found quite a bit of clad coins and a neat watch (Sweet Mother Mary! Look at the time!).. and one lone military style rifle cartridge that turned out to be a blank round. I found another such round on this day as well. This time I knew what it was right after I dug it up.. or at least knew what to look for.

3-30-09 006blank.jpg

That military "metal" wasn't the only odd bit to be found Monday, but just one of many. I found the usual can slaw, pull tabs, foil and other stuff. A tent stake? (or something similar) I found a piece of car body trim or molding. There was the blob of metal that made my detector go loopy.. I think it's aluminum, looks as though it had been melted in a fire or something.

3-30-09 008scrap.jpg

There was the understandable "Cleat studs" from some young athlete's shoes.. a lost house key.. (another for my growing collection).. some little whatzit.. almost looks like a bit of a beaded chain, but there was no chain. <shrug> I found several "tops" of Pop rivets. Man! Those rivet heads are hard to see in the dirt. And at one spot on the far side of the park, near the bleachers I found a Wheaty! Cool! But here? It wasn't very deep in the dirt so I figured some kid dropped it fairly recently.. like within the last couple or three years. The date? <smile>

3-30-09 005stuff.jpg

3-30-09 003wheat.JPG

It's not the oldest Wheaty I've found, but it's the oldest in some time. <smile> That put a pleasant spin on the day, that was already quite pleasant to begin with. But would it last? Not long after I found the Wheaty, as I was detecting my way back around the far diamond and heading towards my truck (eventually) I looked up to see a uniformed policeman approaching me on foot. Fearing that I had done something wrong or was perhaps somewhere I was not supposed to be.. but confused because this was public property and not posted as restricted or any other warnings.. I stood up and removed my gloves and turned off my machine so that I might greet this officer. A pleasant handshake, a smile, and a sparkle in his eye set me at ease as he informed me that he didn't mean to interupt me but that he wanted to meet a fellow Metal Detectorist. ??? That's right. This gentleman, officer of the law, keeper of the peace and all that was on the job, but took a moment or two to greet a fellow enthusiast. Turns out that while checking out my truck (an unattended vehicle parked near the airport..go figure..) he'd spotted me detecting over by the ball diamond and came over to say Howdy. We exchanged cards and talked about our detectors and what we hunted and stuff that we had found. I showed him the Wheaty I'd just found and marveled at the age of the penny in what I otherwise thought of as rather modern surroundings. This guy told me a little history about this airport that I was not aware of.. and I've lived here nearly all my life.. You just never know. Travis (the officer's name) told me that this airport had begun it's present location as a military airfield just prior to the U.S. entry into World War Two, and that there were encampments and/or barracks near where I was detecting.. perhaps not the very spot, but nearby somewhere. I'd love to find old maps or photos of the area now and try to locate some of these... and will.. or at least am looking. <grin>
Well, since he was "on the job" my new friend and fellow detectorist had to get back to work, and I resumed detecting, on my way to my "suspicious vehicle". <chuckle> You just never know what the day is going to present do you? Nice day. I found a bunch more coins on my trek back to my vehicle, and was loading up to go home as the first of the evening's little league'rs started showing up or being dropped off to practice. Ahh.. nice timing!
Once home I related my finds and meeting to my wife. I took some pictures but had to put aside my finds and this story telling until another time.. like today! I had a fairly productive day Monday as it turned out, besides meeting a fellow detectorist and a fount of information, I found a pretty good pocketfull of clad as well..

3-30-09 002clad.jpg

Over Seven Dollars in coin! Sweeet! More loot for the vacation fund! I hope to find out more about the military occupation of my local airport in the coming weeks/months/however long and see if I can't relocate some of the housing or encampments. Perhaps I might find some older coins that I've been yearning for.. SILVER QUARTERS and DIMES!.. <shrug>That would be TOO COOL! <grin> here's hoping that you all get out and get to enjoy the weather and our hobby..soon! As always..

~Happy Hunting~

Frodov
 

Upvote 0

John987

Hero Member
Jan 13, 2009
626
6
Upstate New York
Detector(s) used
Compass X-80 Challenger, Yukon 77B Professional
Wow!! Congratulations on all those finds!!
And thanks for the story of your day it was enjoyable.
Happy Hunting!

John
 

curbdiggercarl57

Silver Member
Nov 19, 2007
4,362
1,041
Largo, Florida
🏆 Honorable Mentions:
1
Detector(s) used
Whites Silver Eagle, DFX, Shadow X-2
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
If you can detect with a police officer, by all means, do so. They can shoot people who don't want you to detect.
 

Elliott Ness

Jr. Member
Dec 1, 2008
97
6
Maryland
Detector(s) used
E-Trac / Garett Pro Pointer
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
There's quite a few of us out there that love detecting. The best part about it is that you made a new contact that can very well open many doors for potential new hunting sites. I live in Maryland, and am very close to DC, Gettysburg, Antietam, and Harpers Ferry, WV. This area is very rich in history, and I along with many other officers enjoy the hobby, and meeting others who also love it as much as we do. Stay safe and happy hunting.

Elliott Ness
 

OP
OP
Frodov

Frodov

Bronze Member
May 24, 2007
1,021
34
Lexington, KY
Detector(s) used
Whites Prism IV / Bullseye II pinpointer
lostcauses said:
The ??? item appears to be a link of a watch band.

Hmmmm... watch band link... now that I look at it again I can see that you may be right. I've just never seen one quite like that. Thanks.

~Happy Hunting~


Frodov
 

allen

Gold Member
Jul 16, 2004
20,059
212
Shelbyville or any yard where the owner will let m
Detector(s) used
ace 250
Primary Interest:
Metal Detecting
i thought you was going to tell us
that the cop said," leave, you are
not permitted to detect here," i have
been told that several times before
at the parks in Winchester, Ky before.
Looks like you really rounded up
all of that clad today Frodov !!!!
 

Giant056

Silver Member
Jun 10, 2007
2,873
468
Southwest Michigan
🏆 Honorable Mentions:
1
Detector(s) used
Made in U.S.A.
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
Great hunt and finds :thumbsup: I'd definitely be going back there after what Travis told you!
 

mikewaz

Bronze Member
May 9, 2008
1,606
4
Chicago
Detector(s) used
Fisher 1266 X Fisher F75
You did great!
Especially for a day you weren't going to go out. Maybe you even picked up a get out of jail free card too.
Mike
 

Argentium

Gold Member
Feb 2, 2008
9,058
5,574
Santa Fe, New Mexico
Detector(s) used
Whites, MXT.
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
Hey Frodov ! Nice day out - I really like the 29 wheaty - I find quite a few in the 40's and 50's , but very few in the

20's and 30's and as yet none in the teens . You'll find some silver coins if you take a road trip to a nearby town

or get permission to do an old house or corner lot . Meeting the officer could really pay dividends because he likely

knows lots of residents and he may be able to get both of you access into some yards ! Argentium.
 

N.J.THer

Silver Member
Nov 16, 2006
3,282
238
Middlesex County, New Jersey
🥇 Banner finds
1
Detector(s) used
Whites DFX w/ Sunray DX-1 probe and Minelab Excalibur 1000, Whites TRX Pinpointer
Primary Interest:
Metal Detecting
Congrats on a nice day of detecting.

I had an officer roll up on me in a park yesterday. HE drove up on the sidewalk so I glance up and he waves me over to the car. I never had a problem in the park but I figure he we go. He just wanted to know what I was finding. I told him what type of items I've found in the past and he was surprised about how old some of the coins were. He wished me luck then drove over to watch the soccer game. I make sure that the park employees and the police see me picking up all the trash as I go. I do it whether they are there or not but I put on a show of it if they are there.

I think at the end of the day I pick up more trash then the actual people being paid to do so....I don't mind though if it keeps me in good graces.

Happy hunting.

NJ
 

jimbob450

Hero Member
Feb 26, 2008
620
11
spokane,wa.
Detector(s) used
Whites Classic I.D.
Hi Frodov, Nice wheaty and a good day. Oh, and i belive the key
is a double cut automobile key instead of a house key. Jimbob
 

ziphius

Hero Member
Oct 17, 2007
538
7
San Diego
Detector(s) used
Fisher F75, Minelab E-Trac, Whites Surf PI Dual Field
Good story. I've had nothing but good experiences with cops when it comes to detecting. If you present your activity as something as normal to do as throwing a frisbee in a park, and project zero 'guilt', it will win over a lot of people.
 

OP
OP
Frodov

Frodov

Bronze Member
May 24, 2007
1,021
34
Lexington, KY
Detector(s) used
Whites Prism IV / Bullseye II pinpointer
jimbob450 said:
Hi Frodov, Nice wheaty and a good day. Oh, and i belive the key
is a double cut automobile key instead of a house key. Jimbob

I went back and looked at that key again.. you know.. I think you're right. I may very well be an automotive key. Thanks. Not that it makes much difference one way or the other, it'll likely never be used for it's purpose again. <shrug> Just another found key in the bag full of found keys.

~Happy Hunting~

Frodov
 

Top Member Reactions

Users who are viewing this thread

Latest Discussions

Top