Civil War battlefield looted, described as 'crime scene'

[mountaineer]

Civil War battlefield looted, described as 'crime scene'
by Andreas Preuss, CNN
Updated 5:00 AM ET, Sat May 28, 2016

(CNN)The National Park Service is calling part of a Civil War battlefield "an active crime scene" following a series of excavations.

Authorities are investigating looting at the Petersburg National Battlefield, just south of Richmond, Virginia. The battlefield describes itself as the site of the war's longest siege, lasting nine months between 1864-1865, and claiming 70,000 casualties.

"Earlier this week, one of the park employees was out doing landscape work and noticed some things were out of place," NPS spokesman Chris Bryce said.

The looting happened in the eastern part of the park, the National Park Service said, citing a large number of excavated pits. Marked graves were not disturbed.

Park officials have not described what type of items or relics were stolen in the theft.

"They are probably doing their homework of the area, probably did research on Civil War ...They were in the ground, they likely would have used a metal detector and a digging tool," Bryce said.

Civil War relics, like uniform buttons, rifle parts and other metallic battlefield items regularly show up on internet auction sites.
The Park Service says looting a National Battlefield is a federal crime, carrying up to a $20,000 fine and two years in prison for a conviction.  ...

Rest of story at CNN

[rangerrebew]

I have to believe looting of Civil War battlefields is going to become common.  Most likely those on the left who want to do away with any vestige of the South and the Civil War and people on the right who want to preserve history and protect relics from the left by stealing them first.   This will then open the door for people trying to make money off the items which will become increasingly rare and thugs who just want to destroy things.  However, the war which Lincoln called a "new birth of freedom" is doomed by our own insanity.