German Cleans Up Glacier Graffiti

[February 26, 2008]  WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AP) -- A German tourist caught spraying graffiti on the rocks and ice face of New Zealand's Franz Josef Glacier was forced to clean up his handiwork, local media reported Tuesday.

English tourists caught Jan Philip Scharbert on camera as he spray-painted the glacier last week, "The Press" newspaper reported. They handed their photos of the tagger to Department of Conservation staff, who informed police.

Scharbert, 28, who lives in Munich, was arrested boarding a bus to leave Franz Josef village, on South Island's west coast, and ordered to clean up the graffiti under conservation staff supervision.

Whataroa village police constable Paul Gurney said Scharbert took 1 1/2 days to clean up his handiwork, and was reprimanded by other visitors as he chipped the paint off.

[Associated Press]

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