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Pastimes : Gripes, compliments, fishing and weather -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: Ish who wrote (2044)	8/6/2002 11:10:42 AM
From: Sarkie	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 34894

A fishing story. . . . . . . . . . . . . Trevi Fountain Fisher Finally Reeled In Aug 6, 9:27 am ET ROME (Reuters) - A homeless man who has long made his living fishing coins out of Rome's famed Trevi fountain was arrested Tuesday, police officials said. Thousands of tourists stand with their backs to the Renaissance masterpiece and throw coins over their shoulders into the fountain every day in the hope they will return to the eternal city. The money is supposed to go to charity but police said since 1968, Roberto Cercelletta, who could face theft charges, has waded into the water at Neptune's feet every morning to retrieve the coins left behind, amassing a small fortune. "Every five days he bagged between 5-6,000 euros (dollars)," said Massimo Impronta, a local police chief, although in the low tourist season his daily catch was much smaller. But after a flurry of media attention that embarrassed local officials, police moved in to put a stop to the pilfering. When Cercelletta, 50, arrived at around 5:30 a.m. on Tuesday, the police were waiting for him, but the homeless man was undaunted. He plunged into the fountain and in less than 10 minutes had raked up 22 kg of coins worth about 1,000 euros. It took several policemen to arrest Cercelletta, who could also face charges of resisting arrest and insulting public officials. Police have fined him in the past, but because Cercelletta has no address and is unemployed, he has got away without paying. When police tried to stop him last week Cercelletta slashed his stomach with a razor in protest. Rome's city authorities estimate the charities that are supposed to get the money have lost out on as much as 12,000 euros a month.