× Thanks for reading! Log in to continue. Enjoy more articles by logging in or creating a free account. No credit card required. Log in Sign up {{featured_button_text}}

Looters appear to have dug up a Civil War battlefield in Petersburg this week.

The National Park Service is investigating a large number of excavations at the Petersburg National Battlefield, where 151 years ago more than 1,000 Union and Confederate soldiers died fighting during the Siege of Petersburg, according to a statement from the service.

While the park service does not know what, if anything, was taken, it said looters were likely looking for relics from the pivotal battle.

It is a federal crime to steal from archaeological sites, and violators can be fined up to $20,000 and imprisoned for two years.

“This is an affront to the memory of people who fought and died on this field, and it is destruction and theft of history from the American people,” Petersburg National Battlefield Superintendent Lewis Rogers said in a statement. “This kind of aberrant behavior is always disgusting, but it is particularly egregious as Memorial Day weekend arrives, a time when we honor the memories of our friends and family.”

The affected area is an active crime scene, Rogers said. But the remainder of the 2,700-acre park is open to visitors.