Metal thieves are using Google Earth and other online resources to target Britain's historic buildings, English Heritage claims.
Histroically important sites are being irrevocably damaged by criminals who plunder them for trophies which cannot be replaced.
Mike Harlow, legal director at English Heritage, said he believed internet mapping services and his own organisation risked leaving heritage sites vulnerable to attack by making so much information about them available online.
He told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: There are particular threats at the moment because of the valuable materials that there are on old buildings.
People can find, relatively easily through the internet, where ancient sites are and where they can go trophy hunting for artefacts.
Google Earth and all the facilities we, English Heritage, put online is fabulous if you want to go and find the stuff because youââ¬â¢re interested in it but if you want to steal it makes it easier.
Two years ago, the National Trust teamed up with Google Street View to allow its landmarks to be accessed on the search engine's virtual mapping service.
Full article: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/ukn...ng-Google-Earth-to-target-heritage-sites.html
IMO, it's there own fault for teaming up with Google Street View. Do you agree?
Histroically important sites are being irrevocably damaged by criminals who plunder them for trophies which cannot be replaced.
Mike Harlow, legal director at English Heritage, said he believed internet mapping services and his own organisation risked leaving heritage sites vulnerable to attack by making so much information about them available online.
He told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: There are particular threats at the moment because of the valuable materials that there are on old buildings.
People can find, relatively easily through the internet, where ancient sites are and where they can go trophy hunting for artefacts.
Google Earth and all the facilities we, English Heritage, put online is fabulous if you want to go and find the stuff because youââ¬â¢re interested in it but if you want to steal it makes it easier.
Two years ago, the National Trust teamed up with Google Street View to allow its landmarks to be accessed on the search engine's virtual mapping service.
Full article: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/ukn...ng-Google-Earth-to-target-heritage-sites.html
IMO, it's there own fault for teaming up with Google Street View. Do you agree?
