Danger! Tot lot Danger!

[Deft Tones]

Took the boys to the park this afternoon and brought my detector along to keep my ears tuned. No digging implements with me, it's sand.

Swinging over the play areas around the playground while my kids are having fun, it's remarkably clean....someone has been here recently detecting.

Lot's of faint iron signals coming from a few areas and that's it! So I decide to see what they are.

SEWING NEEDLES! Dozens of rusty sewing needles ranging from 2 - 3 inches in length!

WHAT KIND OF SICK DOES THAT?

I snatched my boys and we left. Going back tomorrow to try cleaning it out.

 

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[diggummup]

Beats hypodermic needles I guess, but still.

bring a magnet with you.

 

[Deft Tones]

I'll have to buy one, but great suggestion! Thanks!

 

[kcm]

Don't forget to turn in your find to the authorities! Otherwise, it will continue happening.





.....The longer I think about it, the more FURIOUS I get!! ...Good thing you took your detector - keep it up!!

 

[GA_Boy]

Thanks for your efforts----------------turn 'em in to the authorities and I'll guarantee you won't get harassed in the future by them.
Marvin

 

[Deft Tones]

Ok, got a nice magnet this evening at Northern Tool. I'm thinking a needle or ten will be difficult to remove with my fingernails. First I thought of using two stacked solo cups with the magnet inside and separating the cups to release the metal from the magnet....that means another container for waste needs to come along.

I think I'll try placing the magnet in a plastic bag and turning it inside out instead. Bagged for evidence.

Thank you, gentlemen.

Edit: I really don't want to see the police again so soon....

 

[Bruce R]

When I was a little kid there was always the scare of razor blades in apples at Halloween time, I guess some things never change, they just get worse.

 

[DeepseekerADS]

Your find is disgusting, please show the local cops. This sick world is growing fungus.

 

[BagLady]

Your doing a good thing for the neighborhood. Depending on the size of the sand area, are you really going to be able to go over it all by yourself?

 

[Msbeepbeep]

Thats just sick!

 

[RustyGold]

Good job! I should go over to my local sand box and make sure it's clean.

 

[GA_Boy]

I use Zip Lok bags at time to save magnetized stuff in so turn the bag inside out first and then drop the magnet in and you can seal the bag afterwards.
Marvin

 

[scotter1]

what makes you think turning this in to the cops will stop it.thats like saying lets ban guns or drugs and the crime will stop.

 

[Oddjob]

Took the boys to the park this afternoon and brought my detector along to keep my ears tuned. No digging implements with me, it's sand.

Swinging over the play areas around the playground while my kids are having fun, it's remarkably clean....someone has been here recently detecting.

Lot's of faint iron signals coming from a few areas and that's it! So I decide to see what they are.

SEWING NEEDLES! Dozens of rusty sewing needles ranging from 2 - 3 inches in length!

WHAT KIND OF SICK DOES THAT?

I snatched my boys and we left. Going back tomorrow to try cleaning it out.

Did you call the police and show them what you found so far?

I ran into some needles once in France at a playground, not even a good play ground. The police tapped the area off and called in the city workers to clean the area out. They took all the sand out and let me MD that little playground and then they put new sand in. It was crazy, but it was the most logical thing to do as well.

 

[kcm]

what makes you think turning this in to the cops will stop it.thats like saying lets ban guns or drugs and the crime will stop.

When it comes to kids - you know, little people who TRUST everyone and everything - I think we need to do everything in our capacity to ensure their safety. It's our responsibility. Don't get me wrong - I'm NOT saying we should be mommies and daddies to every little kid. I'm saying that as that is specifically a site for children to play, WE MUST keep those areas safe. By alerting the cops, town/city council, etc, maybe something can get organized - even if it's like a neighborhood watch-type thing. At least people would know there's some sick perv out there trying to bring harm to kids.

I don't have kids - never will. But I'll be dammed if that'll ever stop me from doing everything I can to protect others!

 

[Oddjob]

When it comes to kids - you know, little people who TRUST everyone and everything - I think we need to do everything in our capacity to ensure their safety. It's our responsibility. Don't get me wrong - I'm NOT saying we should be mommies and daddies to every little kid. I'm saying that as that is specifically a site for children to play, WE MUST keep those areas safe. By alerting the cops, town/city council, etc, maybe something can get organized - even if it's like a neighborhood watch-type thing. At least people would know there's some sick perv out there trying to bring harm to kids.

I don't have kids - never will. But I'll be dammed if that'll ever stop me from doing everything I can to protect others!

I agree with you all the way. Police are there to serve and protect, all they would have to do is block the area off until park workers arrived to sort it out.

 

[kcm]

The city could also put up cameras high up and out of reach - covering a large area of the park, but especially kids playground areas. Then, if anything should come up, review the recordings and try to find the culprit. At the very least, the recordings would be a deterrent to anyone doing that mess again.

 

[Back-of-the-boat]

I find hypodermics,razor blades and nails pointing straight up in tot lots all the time all you can do is clean them up and alert parents.I do let the parents know what parks I don't find stuff in so they can take their kids there instead.The authorities know about the problem and the local news has ran a story about the issue here.A razor blade was found glued to a bar a kid would grab and that was what brought it to the authorities attention.I have also found used prophylactics in the tot lots.We have a major homeless issue in a lot of our parks so have also smelled urine and feces(called the city and they closed that area and they caution taped it off and steam cleaned all the equipment and removed the wood bark) the city found they sleep under the slides and other equipment in the parks.They send patrols through the parks at all hours now.

 

[kcm]

The hypodermics,razor blades and nails are found in the sand areas? Or is it mostly in grassy areas?

There was a time, many years ago, when I truly thought I was missing out on being a parent. And to a certain extent, I still do. But at the same time, I am VERY grateful to not me bringing up children in this stupid, idiotic world! I mean, this is America folks. Doesn't that mean anything? There is cutting-edge technology, ample taxes to go around "if invested properly", plenty of food, transportation, electronics, education, etc for the majority of the masses. Why mess with kids?? (that's a rhetorical question) If I was a parent, I'd probably be seen out there making sure crap like that isn't happening. In fact, if I lived anywhere near a town, I still would!

Maybe it would be a good idea to start a sort of movement - for MDers to contact City Council and provide this thread as the inspiration. Try to have a group of MDers in the area that will take turns checking the playgrounds for such dangers during times of low/no kid activity. Even if some playgrounds are off limits to detectorists, this SHOULD warrant special consideration!

Might be that areas could be detected once a week; maybe later once a month if things look good after a while. Then at the first sign of some idiot spiking the areas, could ramp up MD Patrols. As I'm speaking primarily about the sandy areas (maybe bark, maybe rubber - but areas where kids regularly play), there would be no "damage" to turf, even though there isn't damage anyhow...if done right. Any thoughts or comments?

 

[Back-of-the-boat]

The hypodermics,razor blades and nails are found in the sand areas? Or is it mostly in grassy areas?

There was a time, many years ago, when I truly thought I was missing out on being a parent. And to a certain extent, I still do. But at the same time, I am VERY grateful to not me bringing up children in this stupid, idiotic world! I mean, this is America folks. Doesn't that mean anything? There is cutting-edge technology, ample taxes to go around "if invested properly", plenty of food, transportation, electronics, education, etc for the majority of the masses. Why mess with kids?? (that's a rhetorical question) If I was a parent, I'd probably be seen out there making sure crap like that isn't happening. In fact, if I lived anywhere near a town, I still would!

Maybe it would be a good idea to start a sort of movement - for MDers to contact City Council and provide this thread as the inspiration. Try to have a group of MDers in the area that will take turns checking the playgrounds for such dangers during times of low/no kid activity. Even if some playgrounds are off limits to detectorists, this SHOULD warrant special consideration!

Might be that areas could be detected once a week; maybe later once a month if things look good after a while. Then at the first sign of some idiot spiking the areas, could ramp up MD Patrols. As I'm speaking primarily about the sandy areas (maybe bark, maybe rubber - but areas where kids regularly play), there would be no "damage" to turf, even though there isn't damage anyhow...if done right. Any thoughts or comments?

I find all that in the tot lots.Normally at the bottom of slides or under the bars where ever a kid can fall is where I tend to find it.It is intentionally put there.