A Little Macabre, Yes Maybe, But As Serious A Crime As This?

[anotheoldgit]

http://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2015/jun/24/uk-schoolboy-arrested-auschwitz-mortified-say-parents

/// Visitors have tried to steal artefacts as souvenirs from the museum in the past. In 2010, a Swedish man was jailed for orchestrating the theft of the notorious “Arbeit macht frei” sign over the entry gate. ///

Not quite on the same scale, one would think.

[bazwillrun]

"explained that he might have been “affected by the enormity of what he has seen”"

yeah of course he was....so badly affected by the enormity he thought hed nick a few items...must think we are stupid

[anotheoldgit]

Isn't it in most peoples mind to obtain a small souvenir from places they visit.

From a radio report they didn't actually pinch these items from the Museum itself, but scratched in the earth for them.

I am sure that on a visit to Europe's Battle Fields, one would nick something they found in the ground.

[Fitzer]

They were on an organised trip so should have been aware of the first item on the visitor regulations "The Museum and all the historical structures and items located on its grounds make up an integral whole protected by law. It is prohibited to move, remove or damage any of the structures or items on the grounds of the Museum and under its protection."

[youngmafbog]

It could have been ten years so looks to me like a smack on the wrist, but one that generates a message out to the wider world.

[anotheoldgit]

Fitzer

Having never been there I was unaware of that, thanks.

[andy-hughes]

Not on the same scale, but that is not really the point is it? The scale of the offence is not related to the size of the object stolen - all objects are previous and should be treated with appropriate dignity and respect.

As far as the parents' statement, they would be better to simply stop digging.

"My son is an immature teenager and like a lot of immature teenagers he does stupid things for no good reason, and this is one of those. I have left him in no doubt of the seriousness of what he has done, and he will not be doing it again."

would sit far better than attempting to justify his actions with perceived emotional trauma.

[andy-hughes]

AOG - ever the pedant that I am, something cannot be 'a little macabre' - there are no degrees in an absolute, something is either macabre or it is not.

[Sqad]

Hardly macabre or serious...........maybe a bit stupid, something we have all been at certain times.
Both boys went to Perse School which was a Public School solely for Jews in my time, but i am not sure whether it remains so.

[jim360]

I've never been so stupid as to steal something from an historical site, although I can see that someone might do it as a spur-of-the-moment thing. I did once put my hand on the outside walls of King's College Chapel, attempting one of those "spiritual connection" moments with such an ancient building -- and a piece of it broke off in my hand...

[youngmafbog]

jim, can you put a cloth over your halo, it's shining a bit too bright.

[andy-hughes]

youngmafbog - // jim, can you put a cloth over your halo, it's shining a bit too bright. //

Not sure why you think jim is exhibiting a halo of any radiance - ?

[Baldric]

AOG, no need to have visited, the 'Rules' are easily Googled

http://visit.auschwitz.org/regulamin-zwiedzania-panstwowego-muzeum-auschwitz-birkenau.html?lang=en

[jim360]

If it helps to take the halo off, I've stopped counting the number of times I've stared at a stained-glass window or other and thought, for a fleeting second, "I'll bet if I threw a stone really hard..."

[youngmafbog]

Andy:

//I've never been so stupid as to //

It was only meant to be light-hearted !

[Svejk]

Yes, jim. I used to get those spiritual connections with Woolies sweet counter when I was little.

[andy-hughes]

YMB - //Andy:

//I've never been so stupid as to //

It was only meant to be light-hearted ! //

Thanks for clarifying - yet again we are victims of the misunderstandings that can occur in written communication. Soz!!

[mikey4444]

Personally, I think that the authorities have overreacted here. I'm sure a severe ticking off by the Headmaster would have been sufficient. They were little more than boys, after all.

[Baldric]

Is the age of Criminal Responsibility still 10?

[Baldric]

Just had a Google, appears so!


https://www.gov.uk/age-of-criminal-responsibility

[andy-hughes]

mikey - //They were little more than boys, after all. //

Can't agree there.

If you are old enough to learn to take a ton of metal out on the country's roads, you are old enough to know what 'theft' means.