A 61-year-old tourist is facing a decade behind bars in Greece after stealing an ancient marble column.
The German man was arrested at the port of Patras after allegedly attempting to smuggle the artifact out of the country, local media reported.
The suspect was stopped by Patras Port Authority officials during a check as he tried to board a ferry to Italy with the stolen column hidden in his vehicle on Saturday night.
Greek authorities say the man is accused of antiquities trafficking, a serious crime that carries prison sentences of up to 12 years in the country, known for its rich archaeological heritage.
Following his arrest, an archaeologist confirmed the column is an authentic ancient relic, though its exact age and origin remain unknown.
‘According to the assessment of an archaeologist from the Antiquities Authority of Achaia, it is an ancient object to which the legal provisions for the protection of antiquities and cultural heritage in general apply,’ said the Ministry of Shipping and Island Policy.
The German was detained at the port authority for two days and brought before the investigating judge on Monday.
The suspect claimed in court that he purchased the piece near the Acropolis in Athens, believing it was a replica rather than a genuine artifact.
Following the German’s arrest, an archaeologist confirmed the column is an authentic ancient relic, though its exact age and origin remain unknown. Pictured: The Acropolis, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is a symbol of ancient Greek civilization and has become a must-see destination for tourists worldwide (stock image)
The German man was arrested at the port of Patras after allegedly attempting to smuggle the artifact out of the country. Pictured: The Port of Patras, Greece
However, authorities suspect this is an attempt to evade prosecution.
A judge has ordered further investigations and released the man on parole, barring him from leaving Greece until further notice.
The seized artifact will now be sent to the Greek Antiquities Office to determine where it was stolen from, as authorities continue their probe into the smuggling attempt.
The Central Port Authority of Patras, which is conducting the preliminary investigation, seized, in addition to the vehicle, the German’s cell phone and a laptop, which are being examined by the Port Police.
It comes after a British tourist was arrested in Italy after cutting tiles from a mosaic in Pompeii and trying to take them as a souvenir.
The 20-year-old woman – who was on holiday with her father and sister – was caught stealing three tiles from the House Of The Anchor by a caretaker after she climbed over a rail around the mosaic, according to police.
The caretaker alerted Italian police who arrested the woman before she could leave the site with the fragments in 2019.
In 2018, a French tourist was fined €200 (£170) and handed a suspended sentence after he was caught red-handed leading Pompeii with ancient Roman artefacts stuffed in his backpack.
Pierre Luc Giglio, then aged 52, was caught by security guards when they saw him acting suspiciously.
The suspect claimed in court that he purchased the piece near the Acropolis in Athens, pictured, believing it was a replica rather than a genuine artifact (stock image)
They then found 13 fragments of terracotta and a piece of marble that was believed to be taken from the site’s House of Loreius Tiburtinus.
A tourist who stole pumice stones from the ancient city of Pompeii returned the artefacts last year along with a grovelling letter, claiming the pilfered fragments were ‘cursed’.
The woman sent a package containing three small stones and a letter written in English saying she ‘didn’t know about the curse’ of Pompeii when she stole the artefacts during a holiday in southern Italy.
The young tourist, who did not give her name, revealed that she had been diagnosed with breast cancer within a year of her visit to Pompeii in the letter.
In 2018 tourists were urged to return pebbles taken as souvenirs from a picturesque Greek beach where Abba musical Mamma Mia! was filmed.
Officials on the island of Skiathos took action to prevent the beach from being stripped bare.
Boxes bearing the words ‘Lalaria Beach return box’ appeared at Skiathos airport after campaigners said the stones were disappearing at an alarming rate.
And in 2020, a tourist who stole an ancient relic from a Rome museum three years prior shipped it back to Italy along with a letter apologising ‘for being such an American a*****e.’
Management at the National Roman Museum were surprised to receive a bulky package postmarked from Atlanta, Georgia.
It contained a fragment of ancient marble that was inscribed with the message: ‘To Sam, (heart) Jess, Rome 2017.’
