Two arrested over attempted theft of archaeological remains in Cartagena

Crime

Suspects allegedly tried to steal a 3rd-century BC amphora after entering site at night

LV

Two men have been arrested on suspicion of robbery with force, with the aggravating factor that the items involved are of cultural and historical value, ... after being caught at an archaeological site in Cartagena attempting to remove an amphora dating from the 3rd century BC.

Police were alerted in the early hours after a call to the National Police’s CIMACC 091 control room reporting two hooded individuals inside the site while it was closed to the public. The suspects had allegedly gained entry by climbing over the perimeter fence.

Officers found the pair crouching beside the remains, attempting to place them in a sports bag and carrying a screwdriver. Investigators established that the artefact belonged to a 3rd-century BC amphora, with similar remains located nearby. In antiquity, such vessels were commonly used to transport or store goods including oil, wine and salted fish, and in some cases were also used as burial containers for newborn infants.

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