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Man arrested for attempting to steal parts of Easter Island statues
This is why archaeologists hate tourists and why we're not allowed to walk around freely in the Giza Pyramids anymore. Because we can't keep our hands off of things. The BBC is reporting that a Finnish Tourist on the Easter Islands was recently arrested for trying to steal a chunk off of the famous Moai statues. He was apparently spotted reaching up to try to pry off an earlobe, then, on breaking a section of the statue off, the chunk shattered into pieces on the ground, which he next tried to gather and pilfer. Only upon being arrested did he stop molesting the statue.
What the heck was he thinking? How selfish does someone have to be to think "Hey, I should destroy that and put part of it on my mantle at home". It's because of people like this that we're not allowed to explore Versailles or The Valley of the Kings at our own leisure and are required to be policed in tour groups. This man gives tourists a bad name.
As for the statue, scientists are currently seeing if they can repair it. The idiot from Finland could get seven years in prison.
[thanks to moody75 for the link]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Verbal Gerbil Mar 26th 2008 6:02PM
Seven years or until he reaches maturity, whichever comes last.
Armine Abrahamyan Mar 28th 2008 1:05AM
I agree with you. It is selfish from the side of the tourist, this statue is not for him only, but the whole world!
-armine
Pauli Ojala Mar 31st 2008 2:20PM
Raging mob wanting to lynch a man is an old scene, only the internet phenomenon is new. A raging mob behaves irrationally when it goes out to lynch. In AOL News, 52% out of 314000 would sentence him to de facto death in South American jail, without knowing whether it was an alleged theft or an accident from climbing. If it bleads, it leads.
And as I read the actual story behind the News from Congoo to Australia, it seems to me that he's not proven to break it by purpose. But you don't figure that out by reading these genious' news services. One lady shouted that "A tattood guy came, ripped off the ear, stole it and ran!" And our brilliant investigative journalists recycle the hearsay to about 500 million people.
7 years in a South American prison. Ear off from the guy (says the Mayor). Luckily, the Americans are OnLine. So in the Magnificent A-O-L only, 314,000 votes on the judgment in a day, with 3200 comments. After this volume of hypocricy and publicity, even one day could kill a man in a South American prison.
Another viewpoint on the hang-up party:
http://www.helsinki.fi/~pjojala/Easter-island-broken-ear-mob-lynch.htm
Easter island statues Oct 18th 2010 6:59AM
Easter islands have always been a mystery around the world. Many of the tourists people come here to witness the Moai statue which are present all around the island. And the visitor doing such kind of activity is really shameful. It is a heritage and it should not be spoiled for personal need. Strict actions should be taken against such activity.
http://www.southamericavoyage.net/easter-island-statues.html