Tourist stopped on street near Villa Borghese.Rome police detained a German tourist as he cruised down a street on a rented electric scooter with the marble base of a Roman column between his feet.Carabinieri officers spotted the 24-year-old tourist transporting the "souvenir" along Via Vittorio Veneto, an upmarket street near the Villa Borghese park, on Wednesday afternoon. The man was cited for possessing a "cultural asset of historical and artistic interest", according to a statement from the Carabinieri. Officers seized the marble base which will be subject to further checks to trace its site of origin. It was not clear how the tourist came into possession of the ancient artefact, which measured 40 x 20 cm and weighed about 30 kg.

Rome police detained a German tourist as he cruised down a street on a rented electric scooter with the marble base of a Roman column between his feet. Carabinieri officers spotted the 24-year-old tourist transporting the "souvenir" along Via Vittorio Veneto, an upmarket street near the Villa Borghese park, on Wednesday afternoon. The man was cited for possessing a "cultural asset of historical and artistic interest", according to a statement from the Carabinieri. Officers seized the marble base which will be subject to further checks to trace its site of origin. It was not clear how the tourist came into possession of the ancient artefact, which measured 40 x 20 cm and weighed about 30 kg.