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Suspicious container that caused evacuation actually a geocache: N.S. RCMP

A geocaching container is pictured standing on a stump in Greenwood, N.S., on April 18, 2023. (Source: RCMP)  A geocaching container is pictured standing on a stump in Greenwood, N.S., on April 18, 2023. (Source: RCMP)
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Police say a suspicious device that prompted the evacuation of several homes in Greenwood, N.S., is actually a container used in geocaching – a global treasure hunting game.

It was found on a trail in a wooded area near Oak Avenue and Fales River Drive Tuesday morning.

The RCMP responded around 9:50 a.m., evacuated nearby homes as a precaution and shut down a few streets.

The force’s Explosives Disposal Unit responded to the scene and examined the device – determining it was a cache and not an explosive.

The surrounding roads have reopened and residents who evacuated are OK to go home.

Geocaching is an activity that is an online scavenger hunt of sorts. It involves a package, commonly referred to as a "cache" being concealed in a secret location on public land.

The satellite coordinates of the package are then posted online by the person who planted the package.

Geocaching enthusiasts can then see the satellite location on the site and then proceed to go about searching for the package using the posted coordinates.

with files from CTVNews.ca

Correction

This article has been edited to correct the spelling of trail in the second paragraph.

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