Had the police call on me today!

[cudamark]

I had just started hunting a parking strip in front of an old house, when on my second target I popped a big silver ring from about 2" down with my probe. As soon as I saw the ring, I grabbed it, and at the same instant, a guy claiming to be the home owner is yammering in my ear asking what I thought I was doing "digging" in his yard. I casually slid the ring into my pouch without him seeing what it was and turned to address his concerns. I politely pointed out that from the sidewalk out into the street belonged to the city but he was in no mood to hear facts when he already had his mind made up. He continued on complaining that I was digging up "his" grass and that he was the one who "maintained" it. Since I had just used a probe so far, I explained that I wasn't "digging" but that fell on deaf ears as well. It was all I could do to keep from laughing at his "maintained" grass as it was virtually dead and just dirt in many spots but I managed to bite my tongue and be nice. He then said "you better not be here when I get back"! I just smiled and said, "have a good day" and continued my search as I went down the block.
About 15 minutes later I had made it to the next corner and as I was zeroing in on another target, a police car rolls up, and then another. I start taking to the first cop, answering his questions, and discussing the situation when my hunting partner comes around the corner and says HI to the cop I'm talking to. Seems they know each other, in fact, they work in the same office! We had a pretty good laugh on that one. The second cop waves and takes off. We all talk for a while, swap stories, and he wishes us good hunting as he takes off for more important duties than hassling us. He wouldn't say, but we figured the knucklehead I had the run-in with must have called and complained. I showed my partner the ring I found and I say, "I hope it was the guys wedding ring and that his wife gives him grief about it every day of his life"! I normally try my best to return rings when I can, but if it's his, this guy is going to do without....in more ways than one!

 

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[ivan salis]

karma --maybe he lost the ring long ago and thought you were going to find and take it .

 

[AQUA]

lol..

nice story--- i like it..... mostly it is just people that can,t stand to see someone having fun..... like you wee hurting anything.

 

[Tom_in_CA]

reply

good story. thanx for posting. Sounds like you did your best to defuse the situation, and calm the guy.

 

[Newfiehunter]

Great story! You handled it very well indeed. You must have been a little nervous though when two cop cars showed up I know I would be! All is well that ends wells...

 

[JUNKER]

Good story if he did lose it and grass is dead and bare he didn't do a very good job. He is probably just jealous like a lot of people are they could be doing it but their mad you might find something and make money on it

 

[TheRingFinder]

You've got some thick skin Mark - Whenever someone comes out bellyaching at me, it totally ruins my day. Even when I KNOW I can hunt there. I get so worked up, I just can't enjoy the hunt anymore. So, I usually stay underwater now-a-days < - - No one has yelled at me underwater yet

 

[golden sluice]

I dislike this story, and it's not about the ring or the outcome. It's about nepotism! If you didn't have your police friend with you, this would have escalated. And i dont know, maybe it should have esclated.

Where do we draw the line? Look, I'm a metal dector also, but come on this is absurd. Get permission first.

I think it's odd that you are detecting so close to someone's home without asking for permission. If it was my house, and you were digging around on the side strip of my home, which is owned by the city, but we are told to take care of, I would have called the cops, expecting some serious resolve!

This is story above is a good example of nepotism, and that is what I dislike. I have 3 relatives in the c.h.p., and I hear about things simular to this a lot. Drunken behavior, being on private property, drunk fighting and reckless driving. People being let off the hook because they are off duty police officers or know someone with the right friends. They even joke about it. Most often it's about their driving and how poorly they drive, speeding mostly.
I really, really hate nepotism.
I don't know, I guess I'm ranting about distorted social reality, and how we just let it slide on by...

 

[cooper1841]

I hunt curb strips, before and after hours, and weekend mornings, in downtown commercial areas, but to pull up in front somebody's house, and detect their curb strip, without asking, just isn't right, legal or not!! To do that gives metal detectorist, just as bad an image, as not filling in holes, leaving your trash, trespassing, a whole lot of things every body bi#$#s about, on here all the time,that are legal,!! Just saying..........HH

 

[Treasure_Hunter]

I dislike this story, and it's not about the ring or the outcome. It's about nepotism! If you didn't have your police friend with you, this would have escalated. And i dont know, maybe it should have esclated.

Where do we draw the line? Look, I'm a metal dector also, but come on this is absurd. Get permission first.

I think it's odd that you are detecting so close to someone's home without asking for permission. If it was my house, and you were digging around on the side strip of my home, which is owned by the city, but we are told to take care of, I would have called the cops, expecting some serious resolve!

This is story above is a good example of nepotism, and that is what I dislike. I have 3 relatives in the c.h.p., and I hear about things simular to this a lot. Drunken behavior, being on private property, drunk fighting and reckless driving. People being let off the hook because they are off duty police officers or know someone with the right friends. They even joke about it. Most often it's about their driving and how poorly they drive, speeding mostly.
I really, really hate nepotism.
I don't know, I guess I'm ranting about distorted social reality, and how we just let it slide on by...

Nepotism? Because his hunting partner just happen to know the police officer....? I don't see nepotism there at all.

Home owners do not own the strip of land between the sidewalk and the street, it is city owned or county owned easement.... I have had police tell homeowners they do not own the easement as well, unless it was a Barney Fife type LEO it wouldn't have escalated either....








American by birth, Patriot by choice.

I would rather die standing on my two feet defending our Constitution than live a lifetime on my knees......

 

[Tom_in_CA]

hmm

I hunt curb strips, before and after hours, and weekend mornings, in downtown commercial areas, but to pull up in front somebody's house, and detect their curb strip, without asking, just isn't right, legal or not!! To do that gives metal detectorist, just as bad an image, as not filling in holes, leaving your trash, trespassing, a whole lot of things every body bi#$#s about, on here all the time,that are legal,!! Just saying..........HH

Ok, so you'd do it in "commercial downtown" areas, but not at residential areas. Eh? Are you aware that private individuals own "commercial" areas, every-bit-as-much as homeowners own homes? I mean, those commercial buildings are also "owned" by someone, eh? An apartment complex is "owned" by someone.

I know what you're trying to get at cooper. People have a sense of their "castle", more in their personal homes, rather than some investment property, or commercial building downtown (which might have parking strips with parking meters in them, doh!). But none-the-less, the very same reasons that some homeowner "might not like it", can be every bit as much the same reason as the nameless faceless investor might just happen to be walking past you at "before and after" hours, and can raise the same cain. But I grant you, not nearly so often (nor as "personal" feeling) when in multi-tennant or commercial type areas. In fact, quite frankly, the "owner" is much less likely to be there, in commercial downtown situations.

But legally speaking, no different.

 

[Rawhide]

Bad form and a bad representation of the hobby. Home owners know who to complain too and you can bet enough complaints get attention. Its also called respect. I want you to have fun, but in ones yard with a easement or not without permission is wrong in my eyes. Not only did you talk with the owner of a ring after digging it out of his yard as easements belong to property owner too, is wrong wrong wrong. I will have to remove myself from the whole forum if this is the attitude of the new world diggers.

 

[SoCalBeachScanner]

I had just started hunting a parking strip in front of an old house, when on my second target I popped a big silver ring from about 2" down with my probe.

cudamark! You trouble maker!

So where is the pic of the ring? You know the procedure around here

 

[Treasure_Hunter]

Bad form and a bad representation of the hobby. Home owners know who to complain too and you can bet enough complaints get attention. Its also called respect. I want you to have fun, but in ones yard with a easement or not without permission is wrong in my eyes. Not only did you talk with the owner of a ring after digging it out of his yard as easements belong to property owner too, is wrong wrong wrong. I will have to remove myself from the whole forum if this is the attitude of the new world diggers.

Easements do not belong to home owners, they belong to city and county......

Ring was found on city property so how is it the owners ring or even know it was lost by the owner.....






American by birth, Patriot by choice.

I would rather die standing on my two feet defending our Constitution than live a lifetime on my knees......

 

[cudamark]

You've got some thick skin Mark - Whenever someone comes out bellyaching at me, it totally ruins my day. Even when I KNOW I can hunt there. I get so worked up, I just can't enjoy the hunt anymore. So, I usually stay underwater now-a-days < - - No one has yelled at me underwater yet

At least they never lived to tell about it, eh? I didn't realize I was stirring up a hornets nest by related the story. I guess I'll respond to them one at a time here...No nepotism at all........period. The cop was friendly and we were getting along fine with no help from my hunting partner. In fact, he was just about to leave when my partner showed up. Asking permission to hunt public propery? No way. If it's legal, no permission is necessary. If you were to do that, you'd spend all day getting permission and not getting any hunting done. Do you ask permission before you hunt a park, school, or beach? We all own that too! If you park in front of someones house, do you get permission to walk across the grass to the sidewalk? What do you think this guy would have said? Frankly, I think those that ask permission to hunt public land are more of a problem with our hobby than those that don't ask. Asking questions of the wrong people can bring unwanted attention to what we do, or perceived to do. When I'm done hunting, I leave the place like I found it, that's how I show my respect. I doubt it was his ring to begin with. He was kinda young....20's and the ring looked like it had been in the ground a while. "New world digger"? Hardly. Been doing it for over 43 years now so this is not my first rodeo, or first encounter with police checking out what I'm doing. Never been arrested or even threatened to be. Most cops are understanding and more amused than annoyed by the situation. I've had many want to give advice and pointers as where to hunt. I may post a photo....I haven't decided yet. It's nothing special to look at particularly.

 

[cooper1841]

I do relize that some body owns them, and am trying to avoid conflict, which is as you said, much eaiser in a commercial setting, as opposed to some bodys front yard Not saying its illegal, I just wouldn't do it!!

Ok, so you'd do it in "commercial downtown" areas, but not at residential areas. Eh? Are you aware that private individuals own "commercial" areas, every-bit-as-much as homeowners own homes? I mean, those commercial buildings are also "owned" by someone, eh? An apartment complex is "owned" by someone.

I know what you're trying to get at cooper. People have a sense of their "castle", more in their personal homes, rather than some investment property, or commercial building downtown (which might have parking strips with parking meters in them, doh!). But none-the-less, the very same reasons that some homeowner "might not like it", can be every bit as much the same reason as the nameless faceless investor might just happen to be walking past you at "before and after" hours, and can raise the same cain. But I grant you, not nearly so often (nor as "personal" feeling) when in multi-tennant or commercial type areas. In fact, quite frankly, the "owner" is much less likely to be there, in commercial downtown situations.

But legally speaking, no different.

 

[rochwitt]

I have to agree with Casa and Golden Sluice. Really bad form. I would very much have an issue with someone digging in the common area in front of my home without asking permission. I look at it this way. A few places that I have lived in the past now allow gardens to be planted in these areas but just because they are there doesn't mean that anyone can harvest them. As for the ring being his you will never know unless you ask him if it was his. If it were his ring and you gave it back it prob would have defused the problem PDQ.

 

[Diggin-N-Dumps]

When you say Easement....You mean the little median strip by the sidewalk right? Because I hunt those ALL the time. I dont give a GD what someone has to say to me.

I however dont hit one of those areas where i can tell someone REALLY takes good care of it.

But in my case..Most the houses i hunt are Crack houses....so the neighborhoods im in really dont matter much...its all rundown garbage neighborhoods.

I mainly think..." Would I want somoe jackwagon digging in my yard" and that answer is....YES!!!!

I dont think Cuda was wrong or disrespectful at all. nor bad on the hobby.

i dont think its as bad a guy out detecting a tot lot while there are kids there, which i see all the time

 

[Treasure_Hunter]

I have hunted easements many times and I don't ask permission. Having worked for telephone companies for years I know for fact homeowners do not own the easements. We have plowed cable down them for miles. Home owners can plant what ever they want there but if they hit a cable they are liable for damages and we can plow or dig right through their garden..

Homeowners do not pay taxes on that strip of land either. .






American by birth, Patriot by choice.

I would rather die standing on my two feet defending our Constitution than live a lifetime on my knees......

 

[BARKER]

HI cudamark; Way to go. You kept your composure and analyzed the situation. I've dealt with the exact same problem before. Your gonna get idiots no matter where you go. I had one guy threaten me physically. He quickly walked away when I started walking towards him. I think he realized I was not afraid of him. Smart move. Anyways, glad to hear the outcome. Happy Hunting. PEACE:RONB