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What are the legal issues when entering school areas while searching for geocaches? Some caches are located in such places. The first is available without problem for children and teachers, but what with other geocachers? Is it actually legal to go into such area without "strong reason" such as working there or beeing a parent of a child? In worst case, how to react when the police is called?

The question is focused on Europe, however the answers about US would also be appreciated, because there are many law similarities anyway.

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Be very careful as far as schools are concerned - parents or staff will tend to be rather vigilant with strangers on site (especially primary schools) and I believe without permission it is technically trespassing.

Geocaches really shouldn't be placed in such areas without written permission anyway, so for some that have done this you might be ok (though I'd still ask ahead first if unsure.) There may be those that have been placed unknowingly in some areas though.

Before searching for any caches on school property, my first port of call would be to contact the school and ask for permission. If they seem to react adversely or have no idea what a Geocache is or why it's been placed, then it shouldn't have been put there in the first place - so don't go and try to find it, file a "Needs Archived" report instead with the relevant details.

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    +1 for "Geocaches really shouldn't be placed in such areas without written permission anyway"
    – RichardAtHome
    Oct 24, 2012 at 16:18
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    +1 There is also a substantial risk that such caches are found by children (and destroyed) or groundstaff (and binned).
    – Andrew
    Oct 28, 2012 at 10:30
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It is against the geocaching rules to hide a geocache near a school because the parents might call the police first before asking questions.

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  • Welcome Felix, do you have a link that list the different rules / guidelines that you are referencing?
    – ppl
    Apr 29, 2015 at 22:48
  • 2. (Land owner permission) and 6. ( Geocaches are not placed in restricted, prohibited or otherwise inappropriate locations.) of geocaching.com/about/guidelines.aspx.
    – user5330
    Apr 30, 2015 at 1:26

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