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]