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Gentleman tries to escape police by swimming away — in Rome's Trevi Fountain (he doesn't get very far) [1]
['Carla Sinclair']
Date: 2025-02-28
A New Zealand gentleman tried to escape police in Rome — by swimming away in the city's iconic Trevi Fountain. But he didn't get very far.
The tourist had already jumped into the 18th-century fountain once, along with his two traveling sidekicks, before police began to escort the trio away. That's when the 30-year-old chap thought he could make a quick getaway by diving back into the fountain. But nope, $524 later — the fine he was ordered to pay — he learned that such an escape is not possible.
"Alcohol was definitely involved," Rome's Capital Police told CNN about the New Zealander, who was reportedly banned from ever coming near the famous fountain again.
Taking a dip in the fountain has been an aspiration for many tourists, inspired by Federico Fellini's 1960 film "La Dolce Vita," during which Anita Ekberg waded into the waters in an evening gown, purring to her paramour, played by Marcello Mastroianni, to join her. About a dozen tourists are fined for dipping everything from their toes to water bottles into the fountain each year, according to Roman police. A greater number of would-be thieves are stopped for trying to steal some of the 1.5 million euros worth of coins that are thrown into the water each year. The money, which goes to charity, is collected daily. — CNN
Previously: Dumb tourist climbs across Rome's historic Trevi Fountain to fill her water bottle (video)
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