SANTIAGO, Chile – A tourist from Finland faces a prison term and a fine after allegedly breaking a piece of volcanic rock from one of the massive Moai statues on Easter Island.
Twenty-six-year-old Marko Kulju is in custody. His tattoos gave him away. A Rapanui woman says she surprised him as he broke off part of the ear from a statue above Anakena beach. She says he fled the scene with the hunk of rock. Police say they identified him through his tattoos.
Easter Island's Moai statues were carved between 400 and 1,000 years ago. Some stand more than 70 feet tall and weigh 60 tons.
Now Kulju faces a potential prison term and a fine of US$1,900 if convicted of damaging a national monument.
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