I'm back, but still pissed.

[Bioheat1969]

Just to throw this in there, you can buy books of citation forms online for not much money. My wife came up with this scenario, a guy gets one of these books and throws together a uniform, goes out in these woods with the intention of "confiscating" a mountain bike or hiking or hunting equipment, what ever he can find some unwitting person carrying. Under the excuse of giving them a citation, makes the person think it's all legit.

 

[KOB]

Just to throw this in there, you can buy books of citation forms online for not much money. My wife came up with this scenario, a guy gets one of these books and throws together a uniform, goes out in these woods with the intention of "confiscating" a mountain bike or hiking or hunting equipment, what ever he can find some unwitting person carrying. Under the excuse of giving them a citation, makes the person think it's all legit.

That's exactly what happened. Fake everything. It's the cartels from the border plying their trade. Happens quite often around here in LA. Google it. All sorts of impersonators pulling being over to rape and rob.

 

[Indotguy]

I'd fight it in court

Fight with what? Sounds like it's his word against a Federal Law enforcement officer? Who do you think a Judge is going to believe?

 

[Xxray]

Was a patrol vehicle seen ? Did he communicate on 2 way ?
If yes to either, most likely was not an impersonator.

 

[oldkoot]

So, I have been away from the forum for a while. My brother, who lives in Atlanta Country Club Estates, took me to detect a new spot where he frequently rides his mountain bike. This place is not far from his house and he goes there several times per week. I have never been there but I did look it up on Google Maps and it's a really big wooded area. It's a wooded area with bike trials all throughout. I wasn't planning on doing much detecting. I just wanted to see the area and would plan to come back when I could spend the day there. Anyway, after about an hour, we started to leave and he said there was a better way out which was a short trek through the woods to a dirt road that would lead back to where we were parked. Once we got on the road and were walking back towards the car, we were approached by a Park Ranger. Yep, it turns out this area was NPA land and they do not allow detecting. Google Maps did not list this as NPA land. I know better and would not have gone there if I knew that. Actually, it's not NPA land, it's just managed by the NPA. I did a web search and found it listed as NRA land and the website said it was open to everyone for recreational use. There was no mention of Metal Detecting being forbidden. I guess my brother knew it was NPA/NRA land but he didn't now detecting was not allowed and he has never seen a park Ranger there before. Not only did I get $860.00 in citations for "Possession of a Metal Detector" and "Destroying Plants" which I did not do. I dug one hole in a dirt area and properly filled it back in. He never even saw me digging. I was just walking with the detector turned off. But this jerk took my AT Pro, 2 Pro-Pointers, a Lesche Samson Pro, my edge digger and Garrett digger's bag, rechargeable batteries, gloves and everything else I had with the exception of my phone and my clothes. The odd thing about this is that so far, the U.S. District Court has no record of the citation or my gear being confiscated. It's been nearly 6 weeks since this happened. It looks like I got robbed by a Federal Cop. He did make the comment "This is MY metal detector now" when he confiscated it but I took that as a smart remark rather than his true intentions of keeping my gear. He was also careful to tell me brother to go ahead and walk back to the car, obviously so he wouldn't be a witness to the theft of my gear.

Well, I have an AT Gold but rarely use it and without a pin-pointer, shovel and edge digger I just wasn't interested in doing any detecting. I bought a new AT MAX and Pro-Pointer AT which I got Sunday and the new Lesche Samson Pro is scheduled to arrive today. I am going to go buy an edge digger and some gloves tomorrow morning the head out to do some detecting.

View attachment 510747View attachment 510748

Are you absolutely sure he was an official Park Ranger, if there is no record of the ticket in the court system then most likely he had phony ticket book badge and uniform, you can purchase anything online these days, I would come closer to believing it was an elaborate theft

 

[chillforlife]

This thread is sounding more like reality TV. The Real Metal Detectors of Cherokee County. Just because you're paranoid doesn't mean that "The Man" isn't out to get you. I'll be glad when the weather changes and folks get away from their computers and back to detecting.

 

[KOB]

This thread is sounding more like reality TV. The Real Metal Detectors of Cherokee County. Just because you're paranoid doesn't mean that "The Man" isn't out to get you. I'll be glad when the weather changes and folks get away from their computers and back to detecting.

I hunted for almost 3 weeks straight. Go look at my post. Now I'm burnt out and bored. Haha

 

[chillforlife]

What's the latest Greg? Just wondering.

 

[Jski2011]

wow what a horror story I'am new to metal detecting, I hope I never encounter something like this !!!!

 

[ollievon]

I say you go back to that area and find where the rangers station is to ID the person; I would hire an attorney without question - you could/should get your equipment back based on the lack of correct information on the forms alone. I would definitely though make a point of finding this person without question, I'm sure they have a history of enjoying "civil forfeiture" from those they bust...highly unethical and an abuse of power.

 

[diggin4clad]

A citation for "Possession of a Metal Detector" ???? That alone sounds bogus. And if it's real, how is it that the detector is now his?????

 

[stetam]

Sorry to hear of your situation but detect where you're not allowed......pay the price.

Steve

 

[chillforlife]

I'm still wondering what the outcome was here. Please update us Greg.

 

[SeabeeRon]

Good point, and I am going to go back to the area and see if I can see the SUV anywhere. It will be a lot more interesting to the media if I have some identifying information about the "cop" that did this.

Were you able to get back to the area? Many members are following this and pulling for you!

 

[Grizz]

Go to the local office and ask to speak with the officer AND his supervisor to get to get your stuff back, it wont cost anything.

Go online to social media outlets and post your story while asking if this has happened to anyone else in order to find out how common the problem is, which it sounds like is very common.

If you do nothing, nothing will change except more bad people will continue to hurt more good people

 

[RealJeep]

Those are real citations and you were written up under the code of federal regulations which is a federal crime.
I STRONGLY suggest you go before the magistrate and he'll probably cut you slack.
It's also MANDATORY that the ranger gives you a receipt for property seized. If he doesn't he'll be in a world of hurt when the magistrate and his supervisors get done with him.

 

[TonyLo]

I live about 20 miles north of there (north Alpharetta). There are tons of country clubs that border greenways, bike and walking trails. Because I am a newbie (still waiting for my detector), I just finish reading all of the GA stuff. It appears that the only way to be sure to stay out of "trouble" is to get permission to dig on private land. Again, I know next to zero, and don't even know if what I am reading is still accurate, but I am going to stick to private property for a bit. My friend own some hunting area. I hope you are able to resolve it. You definitely made it clear to me to avoid those areas.

 

[Connecticut Danny]

I smell Corruption.

 

[Rock Jock]

We went for a drive in the woods. Me and my girlfriend. It was a nice day. I spotted an old wood building that was about to fall down. I parked on the side of the road and started to detect. I didn't have permission and started to get nervous and walked back to my car. As I am putting my detector in the trunk a ranger drove by. He was driving in the opposite direction I was headed. I jumped in my car and took off. About a mile down the road here he came. He turned on his lights and I pulled over. He walked up to my window and said it's illegal to have a metal detector in a National Park. I didn't know I was in a National Park. I didn't see any signs and I looked closely when I drove on. Yep, he wrote a ticket after looking at my metal detector and the finds pouch, but there was nothing in my finds pouch. He was polite, so was I, and he said the ticket was for $65.00. I paid the ticket when I got home (mail) and figured I was lucky he didn't keep my detector. This is in California, and i was maybe 40 - 50 miles north of San Francisco.

FWIW, some National Parks have Route Numbered through roads (such as Yellowstone National Park) crossing them and you should be able to transport items (perhaps broken down/cased/packed) that are otherwise not allowed for use in the park (drones, for instance?). At any rate. these ought not be confiscated by Park Rangers during a stop for things like a rolling violation. It may depends on where the stop occurs. Regulators love gray areas of the laws/regulations. It gives them flexibility in enforcement and extending to achieve agency management objectives.

It is not well publicized, but it is legal to carry a gun in that park (all National Parks?). You may not fire it (without cause?), but you can pack it. Didn't used to be that way, but there maybe was some court/legislative proceedings or such and it is grudgingly tolerated unless something has changed again. The concessionaires and park buildings are still off limits, including concealed.
If you were on a through road in the National Park the Ranger could have been all wet about his authority and you could have challenged his authority under those conditions. They are usually armed.

Gazar's above post is particularly galling because the Ranger(?) is playing on his (limited?) authority and gazar's lack of knowledge of the law. I would have insisted on getting his badge number, car license plate and his name plate identification. I may be wrong, but I doubt if he has the authority to tell his friend to walk on so as not to bear witness. Was he armed? Gun? Baton? Bear spray? Camera on his uniform? Interesting way to acquire a complete metal detecting outfit!

 

[SeabeeRon]

Good point, and I am going to go back to the area and see if I can see the SUV anywhere. It will be a lot more interesting to the media if I have some identifying information about the "cop" that did this.

This is your last post above from Jan 28th. Have you been able to get back there and do you have any more information?
Many members are hoping this turns out well for you, please give us an update.