Italian Police Secure Tourists Carrying Ancient Roman Artifacts With Electric Scooters

JAKARTA - Italian police arrested a German tourist after seeing him carrying ancient Roman artifacts on the electric scooter he rented.

Officers arrested the 24-year-old man on Wednesday night last week, after being spotted sliding at historic Via Veneto near the United States Embassy on a marble base weighing 30 kilograms (66 pounds) from an ancient pole between his legs.

Roma archaeological watchdog described the artifact as "history-valued," quoted by CNN May 28.

Police said the tourist told them he got the artifact as a "incarder eye," but it was not clear if he paid someone for it.

Police said the man had not been charged but was being investigated for "receiving stolen cultural goods." The police did not release his name.

Archaeological experts are still studying the artifact to determine where it came from.

It is known, tourists who behaved poorly have long been the cause of annoyance for Italian authorities.

In recent years, tourists have been arrested for riding electric scooters and Maserati cars down the Spanish Stairs, carving out the initials at the Roman college, and riding a motorbike to the ancient ruins of Pompeii.

In February, a tourist from New Zealand was fined for diving into Trevi Fountain.

Earlier this month, a US tourist had to undergo an emergency operation due to being stabbed at the top of the tower after trying to climb over the fence surrounding the ancient Roman adultium.