Several tourists have been caught stealing sand, rocks and archaeological relics from the Italian island of Sardinia this year, according to Euronews.
Local authorities said a French tourist tried to take home stalagmites and shells, while another German family also took 1kg of rocks from the seabed.
For years, holidaymakers have had a significant impact on the natural beauty of Sardinia's beaches, despite warnings of penalties.
Sardinia's white sandy beaches are world famous, but taking, keeping or selling sand, pebbles, stones or shells from the coast can result in a fine of up to 3,000 euros.
Tourists could even face jail time if convicted of theft with the aggravating circumstance of theft of public property.
Last year, a Frenchman was arrested after police found 41kg of gravel and rocks from the pristine Lampianu beach in the boot of his car.
It may seem like a small issue, but stealing sand and gravel from beaches can have serious ecological consequences.
After a French couple were arrested in 2019 for smuggling 14 plastic bottles filled with sand from the island, Sardinian environmental scientist Pierluigi Cocco explained what happened to the BBC.
“If each of a small fraction of the tourists visiting Sardinia were to dig up 40kg of sand, in a few years that would contribute significantly to the shrinking of the beaches,” he said.
In 2021, the advocacy group "Sardegna rubata e depredata" estimated that at least six tonnes of sand had been removed from the island's beaches by mid-August.
“Most people don’t really have a motive, they simply want something as a keepsake instead of keeping the memories in their minds and hearts,” one campaigner wrote on his social media page.
TH (according to Vietnamnet)Source
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