Digging for treasure: Is nighthawking stealing our past?

[garryson]

Digging for treasure: Is 'nighthawking' stealing our past?

Heritage groups say one of the countryside's most famous monuments is "under attack" from illegal metal detectorists hunting for buried treasure. But what is "nighthawking" - and is it robbing us of our past?
"See a penny, pick it up and all that day you'll have good luck" - it's something we've all told ourselves on those harmless occasions we've spotted small change on the ground.
But there are times when pocketing the odd silver or gold coin truly breaks the law.



Read more: BBC News - Digging for treasure: Is 'nighthawking' stealing our past?

 

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[masterjedi]

Quote from one of the articles > > "English Heritage and police believe it is the result of illegal metal detecting, known as nighthawking."

 

[Bumpstick]

They claim to have a problem but admit that it is not the average hobbyist.

Did you notice the use of a trench shovel?

Quote: By Lauren Potts BBC News

The term "nighthawking" first surfaced in the 1990s and describes the illegal search and removal of artefacts using metal detectors by people who don't have permission to be on the land.
The myth that these treasure hunters are one or two loners striking lucky by torchlight is wrong, argues Mr Harrison.
"Some of these people are very happy to travel long distances, sometimes in groups. They use camouflage kit and sophisticated equipment with night vision and very powerful torches.
"They're very well organised. This idea people have that they're just having a bit of fun and that they don't know what they're doing is something we need to dispel."
Nighthawkers are not to be confused with responsible hobbyists, who follow the code set by the National Council for Metal Detecting and report their finds to the relevant bodies.
But their passion for the pastime goes beyond observing legalities, says Gary Clifford, chairman of the Wyvern Historical and Detecting Society.
"Responsible detectorists do it for the thrill of finding something, rather than finding something of monetary value. Nighthawkers go on sites where they know they're going to find something [valuable]" he says.

 

[Sheldon J]

by their definition everything that comes out of the ground belongs to the government....

 

[gollum]

by their definition everything that comes out of the ground belongs to the government....

Don't knock'em. The US Laws are so far behinds Britain's in this respect it is ridiculous. You should do a bit of research. We only wish the US had detecting laws like England.

Mike

 

[John Winter]

by their definition everything that comes out of the ground belongs to the government....

With respect, this isn't true ... read our Treasure Law.
https://finds.org.uk/documents/advice.pdf

A spade (trench shovel) is normal use in the UK.