A 51-year-old Scottish tourist has been reported to Italian authorities after being caught attempting to sneak ancient fragments from the archaeological site of Pompeii.
On Thursday, 14 August, the visitor was on an evening tour when he was spotted picking up five rocks and a brick from the Pompeii pavement and placing them in his backpack. A vigilant guide raised the alarm, and Carabinieri police officers caught the man near the Villa dei Misteri EAV stop before he could get away with the artefacts. The stones were recovered and returned to the archaeological park.
“He said he had no idea it was forbidden to remove artefacts from Pompeii,” a police officer said. “He was trying to get out of trouble but it did not work. It is pretty easy to understand you cannot do that because if everyone wandered off with a piece of Pompeii there would be nothing left,” he added.
Italian authorities confirmed that the tourist is being investigated for aggravated theft. Under Italian law, the offence carries a potential prison sentence of up to six years and a fine of up to €1,500. If the man has no previous criminal record, he will likely face only the fine.
Gabriel Zuchtriegel, director of the Pompeii Archaeological Park, praised the swift response of staff and police: “Congratulations and thanks to the attentive tour guide, to our excellent custodians and security staff, and to the Carabinieri for this collaborative effort to protect our heritage.”
It is rumoured that anyone who steals from the ancient Pompeii risks catching bad luck. Over the years, several tourists who removed artefacts from the ruins have later returned them, claiming that they suffered illness, financial ruin or other misfortunes.
In 2020, a Canadian woman returned artefacts she had stolen from Pompeii 15 years earlier, insisting they were “cursed.” Nicole sent back two stolen mosaic tiles, a ceramic fragment and parts of an amphora. She put the pieces in an envelope along with a letter of apology, saying that her family had been plagued by bad luck ever since she took the items in her early twenties. Nicole claimed the theft had brought financial hardship and even linked it to her two breast cancer diagnoses, which led to a double mastectomy.
Dear anonymous sender of this letter … the pumice stones arrived in Pompeii… now good luck for your future & in bocca al lupo, as we say in Italy pic.twitter.com/vaYlqUudke
— Gabriel Zuchtriegel (@GZuchtriegel) January 9, 2024
Pompeii is one of the most famous archaeological ruins in the world, with 2.5 million visitors coming yearly. Italian officials have stressed that with growing tourist numbers, security at the site will be strengthened to protect historical treasures.
