Post by deepcaver on Oct 30, 2008 12:21:56 GMT -5
Copied with permission from original author.
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As the result of action taken October 23, before a federal magistrate in Salt Lake City, Utah, I received the following e-mail:
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"Well, it was a very good day in court. We got guilty pleas from all parties involved in the June 2008 break-in at Crystal Cave. Total amounts recovered are $1475.00 in fines and $1919.30 in restitution. Thanks again to Dale Green who provided the trail cameras that made it all possible and to Ranger Carrie Pope who investigated the suspects. Yahoo!! Now I can forget about all those days hauling heavy steel and 275 lb. arc welders up that stinking hill."
Ray Kelsey
Outdoor Recreation Planner
BLM Salt Lake Field Office
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Game trail cameras were strategically placed to capture anything passing by the way to the cave. At first they didn't work for various reasons, but mostly from operator error. Finally I got it right and caught 4 people on their way to a beer party in the cave. The leader is shown below. The photo is washed out because although I thought the lens was pointing directly north, it was pointed to the west and sun rays washed out the exposure somewhat. However, a little Photoshopping got what was needed. BLM Enforcement Officer Carrie Pope deserves a great deal of credit for eliciting oral and signed confessions from the culprits through some very ingenious methods.
Photo of one of the culprits... www.postimage.org/image.php?v=aV1Sm7QS
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It's good that wildlife cameras are being put to good use for capturing cave vandals which often times go unknown and sadly unpunished for their desecration's of our beloved caves.
IMO they're a worthwhile expense in the continuing protection of these natural resources. Setting them up so that they themselves won't be tampered with is important but once done then a regular check on the contents can yield great results and helping to identify the culprits.
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As the result of action taken October 23, before a federal magistrate in Salt Lake City, Utah, I received the following e-mail:
-------------
"Well, it was a very good day in court. We got guilty pleas from all parties involved in the June 2008 break-in at Crystal Cave. Total amounts recovered are $1475.00 in fines and $1919.30 in restitution. Thanks again to Dale Green who provided the trail cameras that made it all possible and to Ranger Carrie Pope who investigated the suspects. Yahoo!! Now I can forget about all those days hauling heavy steel and 275 lb. arc welders up that stinking hill."
Ray Kelsey
Outdoor Recreation Planner
BLM Salt Lake Field Office
-------------
Game trail cameras were strategically placed to capture anything passing by the way to the cave. At first they didn't work for various reasons, but mostly from operator error. Finally I got it right and caught 4 people on their way to a beer party in the cave. The leader is shown below. The photo is washed out because although I thought the lens was pointing directly north, it was pointed to the west and sun rays washed out the exposure somewhat. However, a little Photoshopping got what was needed. BLM Enforcement Officer Carrie Pope deserves a great deal of credit for eliciting oral and signed confessions from the culprits through some very ingenious methods.
Photo of one of the culprits... www.postimage.org/image.php?v=aV1Sm7QS
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It's good that wildlife cameras are being put to good use for capturing cave vandals which often times go unknown and sadly unpunished for their desecration's of our beloved caves.
IMO they're a worthwhile expense in the continuing protection of these natural resources. Setting them up so that they themselves won't be tampered with is important but once done then a regular check on the contents can yield great results and helping to identify the culprits.
streak. ;D