A suspicious device found near heavily-travelled Ambassador Caffery Parkway created quite a stir in Lafayette today. After hours of investigating, authorities found the device to be harmless and say it was actually a part of a game called Geocaching.

It all happened in the 3900 block of Ambassador, when a woman saw a man approach a tree and place something in the mulch. Erring on the side of caution, the woman alerted the police and fire departments, who called in state police to investigate.

"As a result of state police coming out and determining the device was safe, it actually belongs to a GPS locating, global mapping system called geocaching," said Corporal Paul Mouton with Lafayette Police.

Geocaching is a world wide game that's a 21st century take on scavenger hunts. Users hide "treasure" and publish the coordinates on-line so other GPS users can go on the hunt for object.

The object that was hidden in the mulch near a tree on Ambassador Caffery has been there for more than five years, geocacher Jerry Horky is one of 117 'cachers who have successfully hunted it down.

"I have found this one before, it's called 'Grey Beard,' it is a geocache that is in a Tupperware container," Horky said.

After five years, it's game over for "Grey Beard," the geocache is now police evidence. As for the man that started all this commotion by hunting for the geocache, police say he will not be facing any charges. KATC spoke with him by phone Monday, he's been geocaching for 2-weeks and says after the day's events, he's ready to throw in the towel.

Jim Hummel

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