Five years ago, August 20 2011 a Red Arrows plane came down near
Bournemouth, and very soon afterwards, the site was being searched by
collectors for keepsakes:
Trophy hunters have been swarming all over the site of the fatal Red Arrows air crash – in a sickening search for “souvenirs”.
Villagers say people have turned up armed with metal detectors and shovels and even asked residents to point out the exact spot [the pilot]’s body was found.
One resident, Stephen Young, said: “It is sickening. They were just like ants crawling all over.
“At one point I counted 35 people all bent down in the field. It is very ghoulish.” [...]
Locals say people have flocked to the site to collect pieces that scattered over a 500 yard area.
Dorset Police warned: “It is RAF property and they are committing theft.”
Vignette: Digging to collect