LovestheShiny!
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I've held off for a while on writing this post, but recently ran into more evidence that this person exists. Was detecting in Missoula a few days ago with my friend from Illinois, pryan67, and we got the OK at a couple of late teens early 1920's homes. We noticed right away there were dug plugs in the front yard. BOTH owners (15 years or more in home) stated that we were the only ones with permission to detect their front yards. I showed them the plugs, and they were a bit upset that someone had trespassed on their property to detect. I suspect it is someone / some guy who lives in Missoula, and perhaps goes out after dark, or after checking the house, then detects when no one is home.
A few more evidences...
While detecting this spring with my friends RainorShine and Buellride (from the Seattle area) they ran into a gentlemen in Missoula they had asked permission to detect from, and he told them that he had come home to find a guy detecting in his front yard.
When detecting earlier this year up in Great Falls Montana, some lady about 4 houses away came running down the street, demanding to know if we had permission to detect the front yard we were in. Yes, of course we did, but she went up and queried the homeowner who told her "yes we did have the ok." She glared at us and stomped off. Kinda like she had caught someone detecting her yard w/o permission in the recent past.
And a few weeks ago in Conrad Montana, some woman called the cops on me and my friend from Helena. Mr. PoPo refused my friendly greeting and outstretched handshake, and wanted to know "if we had a permit." I told him that the city does not require a permit and we were detecting on the public right of way (curb strips) and in peoples front yards with the owner's permission. Well, he wanted proof of that, so I took him up to the front door of the house I was at, he banged on the door, asked the woman who came to the door if we had the ok. She supported us completely. The cop then wanted further proof. We went to the next house where we had the ok, the father and son came to the door and told Mr. PoPo the we had full permission. I asked him if he wanted to go to more houses, but he was satisfied. I asked him what was going on, and he said that someone reportedly from Missoula had been trespassing in yards and he was checking to make sure we were on the up and up. He did become polite, shook my hand, I gave him my card, and he headed off.
Anyway, just some very disappointing developments here that could ruin it for all of us (all the friends I detect with and know who are honest) here in Montana. Hope some homeowner catches and restrains the dude until police arrive and he is charged and fined or jailed!
A few more evidences...
While detecting this spring with my friends RainorShine and Buellride (from the Seattle area) they ran into a gentlemen in Missoula they had asked permission to detect from, and he told them that he had come home to find a guy detecting in his front yard.
When detecting earlier this year up in Great Falls Montana, some lady about 4 houses away came running down the street, demanding to know if we had permission to detect the front yard we were in. Yes, of course we did, but she went up and queried the homeowner who told her "yes we did have the ok." She glared at us and stomped off. Kinda like she had caught someone detecting her yard w/o permission in the recent past.
And a few weeks ago in Conrad Montana, some woman called the cops on me and my friend from Helena. Mr. PoPo refused my friendly greeting and outstretched handshake, and wanted to know "if we had a permit." I told him that the city does not require a permit and we were detecting on the public right of way (curb strips) and in peoples front yards with the owner's permission. Well, he wanted proof of that, so I took him up to the front door of the house I was at, he banged on the door, asked the woman who came to the door if we had the ok. She supported us completely. The cop then wanted further proof. We went to the next house where we had the ok, the father and son came to the door and told Mr. PoPo the we had full permission. I asked him if he wanted to go to more houses, but he was satisfied. I asked him what was going on, and he said that someone reportedly from Missoula had been trespassing in yards and he was checking to make sure we were on the up and up. He did become polite, shook my hand, I gave him my card, and he headed off.
Anyway, just some very disappointing developments here that could ruin it for all of us (all the friends I detect with and know who are honest) here in Montana. Hope some homeowner catches and restrains the dude until police arrive and he is charged and fined or jailed!
Wow, just WOW! 
