Overview

• A 51-year-old Scottish tourist was intercepted leaving Pompeii with six fragments of stone and brick and reported for aggravated theft.
• A tour guide spotted him picking up pieces of ancient pavement, prompting Carabinieri officers and park staff to stop him at a nearby train station.
• The recovered fragments have been returned to the archaeological park, and the tourist faces potential prison terms of one to six years and fines up to €1,500.
• Pompeii’s vast open-air layout and fragile remains present ongoing challenges for monitoring and protection.
• Officials cite past cases of returned fragments accompanied by notes of misfortune and say checks on souvenir hunters will be intensified this month.