From The Frederick News-Post
It is a crime to remove artifacts from federal property.
Unauthorized metal detecting and artifact collecting are strictly forbidden in
national parks.
However, it is legal to search for relics on private
property with the consent of the owners, said Keith Goettner, who used to
search for artifacts in the Fredericksburg, Va., area.
“If you know somebody who lives along an old camp or
battlefield, those are great places to dig,” Goettner said. “I used to find a
lot.”
The Gettysburg area is rich with artifacts buried just below
the ground.
Cary Murphy said there is a grave marker for a fallen
soldier in his backyard. He wouldn’t dream of disturbing it, he said. He’s also
found a bag of bullets, equipment straps, a ring and other small items on his
property. They aren’t for sale at his shop, though.
“That’s part of the house’s history,” he said. “That stays
with the house.”
Goettner said anyone who is relic hunting should be aware of
the boundaries near them and obtain proper permission before setting out.
Hundreds of incidents of looting are reported on federal
land annually, according to the National Park Service Archaeology Program.
From 2004 to 2007, the government documented 3,143 incidents
of looting or vandalism on federal lands. The real number is expected to be
higher because some illegal activity is never uncovered, according to the NPS.
Federal agencies arrested 96 looters between 2004 and 2007.
Citations were given to 351 people in the same time period, according to the
NPS.
More than $1 million of federal parks property was seized
and more than $2.1 million in damaged was caused in the 2004 to 2007 incidents.
Archaeological looters and vandals have been prosecuted
under the federal Antiquities Act and the Archaeological Resources Protection
Act, in addition to more than 40 other federal and state laws.
The maximum penalty for a misdemeanor ARPA offense is one
year in prison and a $100,000 fine, said Katie Lawhon, spokeswoman for
Gettysburg National Military Park. The maximum penalty for a felony ARPA
offense, meaning the damage was more than $500, is two years in prison and a
$250,000 fine.