German Tourist Arrested for Damaging 16th-Century Italian Statue While Posing for Photo

A 22-year-old German tourist is in custody after Italian authorities alleged that he damaged a 16th-century statue in Florence's Fountain of Neptune by climbing on top of it to pose for a photo early Monday morning.

City officials, who have not publicly identified the man, told CNN that he caused over $5,000 worth of damage to the historic statue in Piazza della Signoria.

Authorities revealed that surveillance footage shows the tourist climbing over a barrier surrounding the fountain and posing with the statue, which depicts the Roman sea god Neptune, as two friends took photos.

“According to the investigators’ reconstruction, after 1 o’clock this morning the tourist, in Piazza della Signoria with two other friends, climbed over the fence of the Neptune Fountain and climbed onto the edge of the pool,” the statement said.

"With a jump, he then climbed onto the horse's leg, reaching the base of the carriage. After having some photos taken by his friends, he climbed down," officials continued. "During the descent, he placed his foot again on the hoof, damaging it. As soon as the alarm went off, however, the young man had already managed to escape with the two others."

The man is expected to face charges under a law that prohibits the "destruction, dispersion, deterioration, disfigurement, soiling, or illicit use of cultural or landscape assets," the outlet reported.

If convicted, the tourist could face fines and be banned from entering Florence.

Authorities in Florence installed security cameras at the statue, which was commissioned in 1559 by Cosimo I de Medici, following a similar incident in 2005. In that incident, a tourist climbed onto the display and broke Neptune's hand, according to CNN.

This latest incident comes less than two weeks after another pair of German tourists, two men in their 20s were accused of vandalizing another Florence landmark.

Last month, authorities alleged that the two men spray-painted Munich soccer-related graffiti on the 460-year-old Vasari Corridor, a passageway created by Renaissance artist and architect Giorgio Vasari that links to Florence's Uffizi Galleries.

The tourist trouble isn't isolated to Florence; Italy has faced a rash of problematic incidents involving tourists this summer.

In early August, young German tourists knocked over a 19th-century statue, and since July, several tourists have allegedly defaced the Roman Colosseum.