Metal detectorists attempt to raid battlefield site where Richard III was killed

Leicestershire Police report that the historic Bosworth Battlefield site has recently been disturbed by illegal metal detectorists looking for artefacts to collect or sell

according to Heritage Development Manager at Leicestershire County Council, Richard Knox: “The battlefield site is a couple of miles from the heritage centre and we did significant work to reclaim objects from the site between 2005 and 2012. “Our investigators walked the equivalent distance of a trip to Moscow. There will be a very small number of relics which come from different periods and are nothing to do with the battlefield. “We are in regular contact with landowners who told us about people coming overnight and digging holes in private ground, damaging crops and disturbing birds nesting. “Little remains relating to the battle of 1485, but it if anything is found and is taken it would be historically damaging for us. I have heard about this going on over the past couple of years, but it is the first time I have heard of it on this scale. “It involved a 200 square metre area with lots of little holes under cover of darkness when it is harder to be caught, but local residents are being vigilant and the police drive by when they can. “The battlefield covered a large area with almost 20,000 fighting on it, and the rough area of it is fairly well known. It’s open agricultural land and the people doing this are ruining landowners’ crops for very little reward. “What’s very sad is that it affects the reputation of the many legitimate detectorists. And it is important that our historical sites should be respected.”

Mr Knox seems to see some kind of distinction between collection-driven of the archaeological record in one historical site where its the artefact hunters who need respecting, and the exact same process on a site he's more interested in, where the archaeological record is what should be respected. I say the archaeological record in general needs respecting and preserving from egocentric pilferers engaged in collection-driven exploitation