One of the most sumptuous villas at the ancient Roman city of Pompeii has been seriously damaged.
Police said intruders climbed into the ruins of the home of rich patrician Obellius Firmo overnight and toppled a large portico column.
The huge pillar cracked in crashing to the ground, breaking into several pieces and leaving a damaged stunt.
Ornamental pieces came off the top and will require "a lot of restoration work," officials said.
Police said it must have taken "considerable strength" to get the column down, even pushing from the top as the vandals appeared to have done.
Pompeii Artistic Superintendent Pietro Giovanni Guzzo said the incident was "extremely serious" and appeared to be "an act of intimidation rather than a simple case of vandalism".
"We will stand firm against threats," Guzzo said, suggesting that local crime groups may be trying to get their hands on some of the 20 million euros that was recently allotted for a major restoration project at the famed site.
Police and site administrators have opened separate probes into the incident.
Pompeii's 'city manager', Luigi Crimaco, said the city's major attractions such as the House of Menander were covered by CCTV cameras but extending such surveillance to the whole site would be "hugely expensive".
