Authorities are investigating the removal of artifacts from land held sacred by the Washoe Tribe of Nevada and California.

Darrel Cruz, the director of the tribe's historic preservation office, declined to say what was stolen. But he said the items were important to the southern Washoe people.

“This is very important to us because this is our heritage,” Cruz told The Tahoe Daily Tribune. “By this action that happened, it kind of erased some of our past.”

A group of climbers alerted authorities in Alpine County, California, about the theft. They saw a man repeatedly digging at the site and confronted him, the Daily Tribune reported.

In related news, the Carter Springs Fire has destroyed some of the tribe's land, as well federal land that's considered sacred by the tribe. The extent of the damage won't be known until the fire is completely extinguished.

Get the Story:
Climbers credited with reporting artifact removal (The Tahoe Daily Tribune 9/26)
Carter Springs fire destroys sacred tribal land (KRNV-TV 9/25)