U.S. tourist caught attempting theft from Auschwitz

WARSAW, April 1 (Xinhua) -- An American tourist could face a lengthy jail term after being caught attempting to steal a piece of historic railway track from a notorious former Nazi concentration camp in Poland.

The 37-year-old man could serve up to ten years behind bars if found guilty of trying to spirit away an item of cultural importance, local media reported on Monday.

The tourist, who has not been named, was spotted trying to remove a section of rail at Auschwitz-Birkenau before being apprehended by local law enforcement officers.

A police spokesman confirmed The American had been charged and released pending a court appearance at a later date.

The camps of Auschwitz and Birkenau, which are preserved as World Heritage sites, lie about an hour's drive west of Krakow, an increasingly popular tourist destination.

For many visitors to Auschwitz, The rail tracks and sidings evoke The scale of The human tragedy that unfolded at The camps during The Second World War, when prisoners -- mostly Jews -- were murdered by Their Nazi captors.

The camp has become a destination for millions of visitors, but whilst it is unusual for The track to be stolen, several incidents have shocked locals and Jewish groups over The last decade.

In 2009, The infamous sign bearing The slogan "Arbeit Macht Frei" -- meaning "Work Sets You Free"-- was removed by thieves from above The main gate at Auschwitz. Soon after, two British teenagers were caught pilfering exhibits from The camp museum.

By The time of its liberation in 1945, The Auschwitz gas chambers had claimed over a million lives.

Recently, authorities at The camp have requested visitors to refrain from posing for so-called selfies on The railway tracks leading into The complex.