UK Metal Detectorists Arrested Near Martlesham, Suffolk [Updated]

British police: Four individuals were caught red handed engaging in illegal artefact hunting on a scheduled monument. (Johnny Amos, ' Four arrested after being caught metal detecting at historic monument', East Anglian Daily Times October 14, 2022)

The men, aged 23, 24, 25 and 37-years-old were spotted at about 10.15pm on Wednesday and subsequently arrested on suspicion of using a metal detector on a site scheduled as an ancient monument, contrary to Section 42 of the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Areas Act. They were also found in possession of items that were suspected to have been from the site and arrested on suspicion of removing objects of archaeological and historical interest from a scheduled monument. The men were also arrested on suspicion of criminal damage and going equipped for theft. Officers took the men to Martlesham Police Investigation Centre for questioning. hey were subsequently released under investigation while enquiries continue, a spokesman for Suffolk police said. [...] Anyone with any information is asked to contact Suffolk police quoting the reference number 37/65490/22.

Name of men they are seeking information about... not given. Name of site they are asking for information about... not given. So how "serious" are Suffolk Constabulary in getting metal detectorists behind bars when they break the law? Not very it seems to me. The unnamed site is near Martlesham, were these guys targeting Sutton Hoo or Rendlesham? If not, where and how were they spotted? Quite young for metal detectorists, 23,24,25 the oldest 37. Meanwhile in the same county this week, many of the estimated 345 of artefact hunters with metal detectors in the county** are out there going over their "permissions" and other sites and assemblagges hoiking out artefacts, what, how many and what? Anyone's guess. The PAS only recorded 97 (93 records) of all public finds of artefacts last week (according to their 'stats' page, all handed in by just eight finders). That signals a massive amount of knowledge theft going on - much of it totally legal, but damaging just the same.

Update 

Usual flaccid junk from the arkies

Paul Jeffery@HeritageMedic·21 g.
W odpowiedzi do @RuralPolicingSC @NSRAPT i 3 innych użytkowników
Excellent work by @SuffolkPolice @HeritageCrime @HistoricEngland @InstituteArch our Heritage belongs to all of us and illegal detecting damages the image of the law abiding majority as well as stealing our past

Paul Barford@PortantIssues·7 min
W odpowiedzi do @HeritageMedic @RuralPolicingSC i 7 innych użytkowników
Archaeologist: "illegal detecting damages image of the law abiding majority" what damages the image is the gaps left in the UK archaeological record by 27000 people digging random objects out week after week and only a MINORITY of them reporting what they've taken and from where.

and

"Conversation Kenge" @fen_ken

Jargon translator: night hawker - thief.
Night hawking - theft.

W odpowiedzi do @fen_ken
Jargon translator: "metal detecting" = collection-driven exploitation of the archaeological resource by artefact hunters. When not reported (and even when it is) = knowledge theft from the rest of us.

**Extrapolating from a national estimate of 27000 and taking the overall population of the county.