Rome's Trevi Fountain tourist coin value soars after crackdown on thieves

PA

Thousands of tourists visiting Rome indulge in the tradition of tossing coins into its Trevi Fountain as, legend says, it means they will return to the city one day and see a wish fulfilled.

And, since police have cracked down on thieves stealing the coins, the value taken from its waters has increased by 30 per cent.

In April 2011, a municipal council resolution says that "collecting coins from the fountain is not allowed. They are Rome capitale property and intended for charity".

The Roman Catholic charity Caritas, which takes the coins out every morning (pictured) to pay for food for the poor and for Aids shelters, has noticed a huge boost in the value of the small change they are recovering.

Every morning workers from the charity sweep up the coins that visitors cast into the Baroque masterpiece.

A dozen bags of coins ,weighing as much as 10 kilos each, are usually retrieved during a 24-hour span at the fountain

In 2010, the charity removed coins worth £652, 500, rising to £740,500 in 2011.

This year, Caritas has already £420,000 - equating to £2,300 a day.

According to the Daily Mail, the charity's spokesman, Alberto Colaiacomo, said: "The increase is 20 to 30 per cent.

"The rise is due to the fact that the Rome council passed a resolution making it a crime to take coins from the fountain.

"Before, there were gangs of thieves who managed to steal a lot. When they were stopped, we saw a lot more money."

Discover 10 new Italian holiday gems here:

%VIRTUAL-Gallery-154250%


Sign up to our weekly newsletterFollow us on TwitterBecome a fan on Facebook