the paint was still wet~!

[rambling]

We were doing a dawn patrol hike/jog and came upon a few park signs that had the typical brown spray paint vandalism. But something was different....there was an odd smell in the air....it was VOC's (volatile organic compounds)...you know, the smell of freshly applied spray paint. Sure enough, we inspected the signs and they had definitely just been painted. The paint drips were still wet! I think we might even have interrupted him, because one sign was completely vandalized and the other one just 25 feet away was partially painted. This was Thursday morning approx 5:55am
Holy crap would I love to catch this guy.
I think we would have held him down and taken a few pics of him for the park staff. Maybe rubbed his face in the dirt for good measure.

so close.

[allencb]

How about setting up some game cameras to catch him in the act?

Chris

[atlantis]

Jeez, too bad you didn't catch whoever it was out there painting away. I'd start carrying a camera. Also you might want to send an email to the trail boss for Patapsco with what your findings were.

[ForestBear]

Oh...And they were nice enough to bend and break the windshield wiper on my car. That was nice of them.

[riderx]

Oh...And they were nice enough to bend and break my windshield wiper on my car. That was nice of them.

Sounds like it's time for a stake out.

http://www.freakingnews.com/pictures/2000/Starsky-Hutch--2480.jpg

[mjbrox]

How about setting up some game cameras to catch him in the act?

Chris


http://www.basspro.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/SearchResults?searchOption=products&hvarSearchString=hunting+cameras&x=0&y=0&storeId=10151&catalogId=10001&langId=-1&hvarAID=google&cm_guid=1-_-100000010000000279929-_-3669234415&cm_mmc=Google_AdWords_Search-_-S-Budget_Priority+-+S-Hunting_Cameras-_-Broad+match+search+3669234415-_-hunting%20cameras%7C-%7C100000010000000279929

[leroy]

We were doing a dawn patrol hike/jog and came upon a few park signs that had the typical brown spray paint vandalism.

This has been going on for years. The same guy for sure. It is quite odd; :confused2: spraying trail signs to confuse a few people.

[atlantis]

This has been going on for years. The same guy for sure. It is quite odd; :confused2: spraying trail signs to confuse a few people.

Yah but wouldn't it be neat to actually have the guy get caught and have the park apply the nice Federal penalties :)

Like maybe 10000 hrs of volunteer time. :)

[rambling]

Oh...And they were nice enough to bend and break the windshield wiper on my car. That was nice of them.

I don't think it was the same person...but could have been.

This has been going on for years. The same guy for sure. It is quite odd; :confused2: spraying trail signs to confuse a few people.


I think this guy does more than spray paint....I believe it is the same person who regularly rearranges the logs at the top of the Illchester rocks trail. Logs are placed across the trail and make it look like the trail further on is closed and users are redirected down the hill towards the cliff area. These logs have been removed time and time again, even chucked down the hillside, only to have them replaced and put back into an obstructive position. He is a constant source of frustration for park employees.


"How about setting up some game cameras to catch him in the act?" (I'm working on my multi-quote skills)

I have thought a lot about this. The park won't pay for one...but I would. I have found no shortage of game cameras used for hunting (keyword alert - cue a response from craig2) but I don't know much about them. There are nice ones that send your images right to a secure site via cellular signal...for half a grand. There are much more reasonable ones for around a hundred.
My two questions are - I know some are flashless/infrared, but won't the thing make a noise and alert a human that they've been photographed? and wouldn't said human then do everything they could to destroy or steal my camera?
and then
What do I do once I have the person's photo? Besides furnish it to the park of course...

[allencb]

My two questions are - I know some are flashless/infrared, but won't the thing make a noise and alert a human that they've been photographed? and wouldn't said human then do everything they could to destroy or steal my camera?
and then
What do I do once I have the person's photo? Besides furnish it to the park of course...

No clue, I've never used one preferring instead to do my scouting on foot, but I've never heard that they make a lot of noise. If you put it up high and off the trail a bit, it shouldn't be noticeable anyway.

As to the last question, maybe blow the pics up to 8x10 and post them around the area. Make him known to everyone.

Chris

[RubberSideDown]

I don't think it was the same person...but could have been.


My two questions are - I know some are flashless/infrared, but won't the thing make a noise and alert a human that they've been photographed? and wouldn't said human then do everything they could to destroy or steal my camera?



That's why I think a stake out with paint ball guns would do the trick. Pop out of the bushes yelling and screaming to scare the you know what out of him/her. Then pelt them with some paint balls for a little pay back... :thumbsup:

Would that be too much. I have a paint ball "marker".

[jmblur]

Paintballing for painting - that's kind of like eye for an eye, right?

The log pile sounds like an ideal place to put a camera - you could even leave some carefully planted logs there that are right within view of the camera to get a nice framed shot of the perp.

Ideally you'd be able to get a signal of his presence (bluetooth accelerometer in a log and a custom phone program to call when the accelerometer moves?) in additon to the photo, so you could alert park staff to stake out the parking lots/exits. Maybe even some of those exploding dye packs from banks. And a rope loop trap to dangle him from the trees, movie style. (those last few were kidding... mostly)

Heck, somebody has to work for the CIA around here, hook us up!

[rambling]

Ideally you'd be able to get a signal of his presence (bluetooth accelerometer in a log and a custom phone program to call when the accelerometer moves?)

I like the way you're thinking....we can retrofit with a turbo encabulator (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pbVY5teBzlg)to enhance the signal, then we'd surely nab them...

[Squirrel Girl]

That's why I think a stake out with paint ball guns would do the trick. Pop out of the bushes yelling and screaming to scare the you know what out of him/her. Then pelt them with some paint balls for a little pay back... :thumbsup:

Would that be too much. I have a paint ball "marker".

Whips. Crazy woman wielding a whip running at them from out of the woods. That would be good.

http://www.deepcaves.net/smilies/bananawhip.gif

[dan_hudson]

I know some are flashless/infrared, but won't the thing make a noise and alert a human that they've been photographed? and wouldn't said human then do everything they could to destroy or steal my camera?

I use one for work. They make absolutely no noise (digital - duh!). And if using one with infrared capability, you never know your photo was taken even in poor/no light. Depending on the $$$ spent, there are lots of options - taking a series of pics after the detector has tripped, even video. Again, as a function of $$$, pic resolution is pretty high. Re: destruction, most models are colored so they blend in. And they are easily mountable so that you'd never know it was there unless someone pointed it out.

If the state is serious about catching the offender(s), this is a good route to take. If the painter is passionate enough in their beliefs to make such an effort, someone who works at the park would likely recognize the face.

[RubberSideDown]

What about this (http://www.entertonement.com/clips/pfvyrxpzrp--Blow-The-Fuckers-Up)???

[old_bashturd]

How about we just set one of these

[old_bashturd]

Dan A. came up with this idea

[rambling]

So many helpful ideas.....so little time.

I have one of those giant boxes with the stick & string all ready to go, but you can totally tell that you're standing under a giant box...so I think even with the little "bikes" sign it would be hard to keep the element of surprise...

But seriously....with game cameras....I think I'm gonna splurge for this guy (http://www.cabelas.com/cabelas/en/templates/product/standard-item.jsp?_DARGS=/cabelas/en/common/catalog/item-link.jsp_A&_DAV=MainCatcat602025-cat20098&id=0057187418507a&navCount=10&podId=0057187&parentId=cat20098&masterpathid=&navAction=push&catalogCode=IK&rid=&parentType=index&indexId=cat20098&hasJS=true) and see what happens. I'll play with locations a bit and stuff.
I know someone said they're silent b/c they're digital...but there's still a shutter sound isn't there?
Maybe it wouldn't matter to a deer or bear, but I'm stalking a human who is sneaking around quietly already and knows they're up to no good, so they'll have their senses heightened. I just don't want to show up and my $150 simply is gone. Or smashed on the ground.
Seriously - Craig2- I know you're a big hunter...got any experience/knowledge w game cams?

Anyhow, it'll make for a fun adventure either way.

And keep these ideas flowing!

[DaveG]

I know someone said they're silent b/c they're digital...but there's still a shutter sound isn't there?

They have shutter sounds so that people know the picture has been taken. I'l lbet that can be turned off.

[RubberSideDown]

So many helpful ideas.....so little time.

I have one of those giant boxes with the stick & string all ready to go, but you can totally tell that you're standing under a giant box...so I think even with the little "bikes" sign it would be hard to keep the element of surprise...

But seriously....with game cameras....I think I'm gonna splurge for this guy (http://www.cabelas.com/cabelas/en/templates/product/standard-item.jsp?_DARGS=/cabelas/en/common/catalog/item-link.jsp_A&_DAV=MainCatcat602025-cat20098&id=0057187418507a&navCount=10&podId=0057187&parentId=cat20098&masterpathid=&navAction=push&catalogCode=IK&rid=&parentType=index&indexId=cat20098&hasJS=true) and see what happens. I'll play with locations a bit and stuff.
I know someone said they're silent b/c they're digital...but there's still a shutter sound isn't there?

With that particular model, I don't think you would have to worry too much about the shutter sound. I think the bright ass flash (up to 30ft) would give it away. Especially if it's happening around pre-dawn to sun up, I'm sure it would be dark enough to the camera to force the flash to go off. Unless you put that thing in a way out-of-the-way spot, I would almost bet it would get ripped down.

Just trying to save you $170.

[pirate]

With that particular model, I don't think you would have to worry too much about the shutter sound. I think the bright ass flash (up to 30ft) would give it away. Especially if it's happening around pre-dawn to sun up, I'm sure it would be dark enough to the camera to force the flash to go off. Unless you put that thing in a way out-of-the-way spot, I would almost bet it would get ripped down.

Just trying to save you $170.

Sounds like it is invisible...

"The infrared Night Vision consists of 20 enhanced infrared LEDs with an invisible flash for images or movies at night."

[RubberSideDown]

Sounds like it is invisible...

"The infrared Night Vision consists of 20 enhanced infrared LEDs with an invisible flash for images or movies at night."

Hmmmmm.... OK. Rock on!

Sorry, my selective reading was turned on.

[CRAIG2]

Seriously - Craig2- I know you're a big hunter...got any experience/knowledge w game cams?

Unfortunately, no. It's been YEARS since I last hunted anything, and we certainly didn't use game cams back then (took a hiatus and haven't found a group to go out with since then). These days I just shoot recreationally when I can find the time. Back then, we went out into the woods, used our eyes and ears, and learned to look for droppings and footprints. It was a very crude method (this was wayyyyy back in time when people could park on school grounds with a .30/30 in their back window and people neither went crazy and called the FBI or the ATF nor did they think of breaking into your car to steal it), but somehow effective.

The Natchezz (sp.) catalog I just got has a few pages of cameras for sale. Keep in mind that whatever you end up getting, if anything, it'll need to have the resolution necessary to capture a positive identification. Otherwise, any evidence you do capture will most likely be thrown out as circumstantial.

[bikerRob]

...Thursday morning approx 5:55am
Holy crap would I love to catch this guy.
I think we would have held him down and taken a few pics of him for the park staff. Maybe rubbed his face in the dirt for good measure.

so close.

What I would like to do: Follow the guy, see where he lives. Leave a nice little note in his mail box telling him his car head lights have been painted with brown paint. Explain that this action will continue if any more signs are painted. That should put an end to that bullhocky real quick. Just make sure you got the right person though.
( * Disclaimer: I in no way endorse the above action by anyone. :nono: I was just thinking out loud. Besides,usually people like that get whats coming to them anyway, sooner or later. I vote for sooner..:D )

[CGrr]

This has been going on for years. The same guy for sure. It is quite odd; :confused2: spraying trail signs to confuse a few people.

I was out at Patapsco on the Santee Trail for the first time and got thrown off course by the vandalized signs and painted over trail blazes.