A Scottish tourist is facing legal trouble after being accused of taking five stones and a piece of brick from the ancient ruins of Pompeii, Italian authorities said Thursday. The 51-year-old man, who hasn't been named, was allegedly spotted by a tour guide picking up "pieces of pavement" and sliding them into his backpack during a visit to the archaeological site, reports the New York Times.
Park staff and security, alerted by the guide, passed along a detailed description to Carabinieri police, who say they found the tourist at a nearby train station with the items in his bag. The man reportedly told officers that his son collected rocks and that he didn't realize it was illegal to remove stones from Pompeii. He wasn't detained but is now under investigation for aggravated theft, a charge that could result in a prison sentence of one to six years, as well as a maximum fine of $1,750, reports the Independent.
Pompeii, famously preserved after the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in AD79, has long been vulnerable to looting and damage. The site's sheer size and open-air layout make it especially difficult to police. Incidents involving tourists at Italian landmarks aren't uncommon: In recent years, visitors have been caught carving initials into the Colosseum, backing into artwork in Florence, and damaging displays at other museums.
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Despite the relatively modest value of the stones in this case, police have described them as a "precious treasure." As of now, formal charges against the tourist haven't been filed, and the investigation is ongoing. A local Carabinieri commander, meanwhile, says that better security measures will be put into place to account for the large number of summer tourists still visiting the site, per the Herald.
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