Here's another reason anything from a beach makes for a terrible holiday souvenir.
A U.S. tourist has been arrested for trying to bring home rocks and what he thought was debris from a beach in Turkey.
Jason Dement, 30, from Mississippi, was stopped and questioned at Antalya Airport when airport security found a piece of marble and what may be a piece of old masonry in his luggage.
The Turkish authorities charged him with trying to "smuggle historical artifacts," reported the Telegraph.
While his wife was allowed to leave the country, Dement now faces up to 12 years in prison.
Theft by travelers has been in the headlines various times over the last year. Travelers looking for unique souvenirs will stuff almost anything they can into their luggage from pieces of the Great Wall to live penguins.
At Boracay Island in the Philippines, the magnificent white beach sands are suffering “blatant extraction” at the hands of the kinds of tourists that give the rest of us a bad name.
Responding to the threat to its most valuable natural resource, local officials passed an ordinance last September that greatly toughened the existing law for being caught carting off sand or pebbles from the Philippines’ top tourist destination.
Great Wall of China
This part of the Jinshanling section of the Great Wall of China, in Hebei province, is in good shape. But other sections of the Wall have been diminished over the years by brick and stone looters.
As reported by the Manila Bulletin, the ordinance stated that: “Boracay Island, a masterpiece of nature endowed by the Almighty with powdery white sand, is being gradually dissipated by man’s selfish interests without due regard to the consequences.”
The new penalty for first-time sand thieves in Boracay was set at 2,500 pesos (US$60) or a prison sentence of not less than one month and not more than six months. Subsequent offenses will bring stiffer minimum penalties.
The new punishments may or may not be effective, but one thing is certain: greedy tourists will continue to commit selfish acts around the globe.
Last June, The Telegraph reported that visitors in Italy have been pinching cobblestones, marble mile markers and mosaic pieces from ancient Roman sites.
Italian officials have reported an increase this year in cases of theft of Roman relics, with pieces of 2,000-year-old stone and other artifacts often discovered in travelers’ luggage at major airports.
A year ago, the Daily Mail reported that three British citizens had been accused of stealing a penguin from an Australian marine park, though, surprise, a night of partying may have been involved in that absurd heist.
Exhausted but unharmed, the seven-year-old fairy penguin, named Dirk, was discovered and returned to his park home and mate, Peaches.
Officials and archaeologists in China have long been concerned about major destruction and diminution of large sections of the Great Wall due to casual looting.
Regrettably little, it seems, is off limits to the dedicated souvenir hunter.
Crime & Scams in the
Philippines: Watch Out For These!
The beauty of
this country hides a darker side where crime is an ongoing problem.
Philippines
There aren‘t too many travel destinations that don‘t carry the risk of some sort of petty crime. Let‘s face it – where there are tourists, there are criminals. The Philippines is, sadly, no exception.
Manila - Big City With A Big Crime Problem
The Philippines has a moderately high rate of violent crime, particularly in the city of Manila. Incidents of violent robbery and assault occur frequently, and tourists are often targets. The biggest culprits of these acts are local criminal gangs, although it‘s not unheard of for individual hoodlums to strike on their own.
Adding fuel to the fire is the substantial amount of Filipinos who own guns. This widespread gun ownership is very poorly regulated making it a recipe for disaster.
Firearms are frequently used in the commission of crimes in the Philippines, and lend to the violent and highly dangerous nature. Avoid rural, unpopulated areas at night and try to travel in groups.
Random Acts of Violence
We're talking about scary things such as grenade attacks, which have occurred in recent years, and although they don‘t necessarily target foreigners, because they tend to be aimed at large groups of people and places frequented by tourists, visitors can easily become victims simply by being in the wrong place at the wrong time.
Kidnapping
The danger of kidnapping exists, particularly in south Philippines. This type of crime is believed to be due to the extensive poverty of the Filipino people, and foreigners are usually the ones targeted.
Alcohol-Related Crime
The consumption of alcohol is often the trigger of street fights and violent crime. The national liquor, a coconut concoction called Tuba, is typically mixed with Coca-Cola and consumed in large quantities. It is an extremely potent drink so if you plan to partake, avoid doing so in public taverns and only drink with people you know. Barroom brawls often involve not just fists, but guns and machetes as well so it‘s not something you want to get involved with - especially if you‘re inebriated.
Drink Spiking
Drink spiking is an issue – the locals refer to it as the “Atvian Scam“ after the drug used in the crime. Victims are often robbed or assaulted while they are unconscious. If someone you don‘t know offers you a drink that you didn‘t watch being made, no matter how friendly they seem, don‘t take it. It‘s better to be safe than sorry.
While petty crime is typically non-violent, when it occurs at night or in rougher areas it could quickly turn dangerous. It‘s no unheard of for a simple pickpocketing incident to escalate into assault or worse.
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