A tourist was caught driving a moped through the Campanian site of Pompeii on Wednesday. He was immediately arrested by security and the police.
The tourist – 33 years old and Australian – illegally entered the site through the service entrance, Porta Vesuvio, piggybacking on legitimate cars that entered, the archaeological park said in a statement.
A few minutes later, he was detained by security personnel, who held him until police arrived.
It is believed that he traveled about a mile before being caught. The tourist claimed not to have known that the world-famous archaeological park was off limits.
The park said in a statement that it had not entered or damaged any parts of the old city.
“The route taken is a dirt road outside the old city walls, used by all-terrain vehicles for excavation work,” they said.
“It is safe, restored and not open to the public, so there was no danger to visitors or to the archaeological heritage at any time.”
They emphasized that the episode only lasted “a few minutes thanks to the efficient work of security guards and CCTV.”
Pompeii is one of the most important and vulnerable places of the ancient world. Frozen in time by a volcanic eruption in 79 CE, it still routinely surprises new digs.
Main image: Parco Archeologico di Pompeii