National Park Service searching for 2 people accused of 'archeological theft' at Utah national park

MOAB, Utah – The National Park Service (NPS) is asking for the public's help in identifying two people involved in an alleged archeological theft at Canyonlands National Park in Utah in March.

The NPS said the incident took place at the Cave Spring Cowboy Camp in the Needles district of the national park around 5:30 p.m. on March 23, and it was caught on video.

That video, according to the NPS, showed the two people entering a signed-as-closed area and then removing artifacts from a cabinet and handling historic harnesses "in a manner that had potential damage to them."

The NPS released photos of the two people with the hopes that someone would recognize them and call the authorities.

Pioneering cattlemen settled in the area in the late 1800s and used camps, such as the Cave Spring Cowboy Camp, through 1975 when cattle ranching ended inside the national park. The NPS says many of the original items left behind by the cowboys remain, and visitors are warned to "not enter the camp, touch or remove the objects."

The NPS is asking anyone who may have been in the area of the Cave Spring Cowboy Camp at Canyonlands National Park around the time of the alleged theft to report it by calling or texting the National Park Service-wide Tip Line at 888-653-0009 or by submitting a tip on its website.

The NPS said tips can remain anonymous.

"National parks are some of the most special, treasured, and protected areas of our country," the NPS said. "To protect their natural and cultural resources for this and future generations, all visitors to national parks are expected to follow park laws and regulations and practice Leave No Trace principles to minimize their impact on park lands."

Original article source: National Park Service searching for 2 people accused of 'archeological theft' at Utah national park