By Kendall Thiele/ The Santiago Times
Viña del Mar — Authorities in Chile’s capital city have held a homeless woman for causing damage to the iconic flower clock in Viña del Mar.
Melany Martínez, 50, was trying to move the clock hands when she was spotted by a municipal worker, who alerted the Chilean National Police Force.
Subsequently, the authorities managed to arrest Martínez who was then formalized for causing damage to public property, according to the Bio Bio Chile.
The Mayor of Garden City, Virginia Reginato, indicated that simply checking the clock for damages will cost 800 thousand pesos (roughly 1,200 USD).
Although the involved parties would like to take legal actions against the woman, there is little chance of her being able to afford the fine since she is currently living on the streets.
This is not the first time someone caused damage to the monument. Last December, an intoxicated man of Spanish nationality modified the function of Viña de Mar’s emblem.
The suspect was summoned to court but did not show up to the hearing, so he had to pay 800 thousand pesos for the repair and had to perform lectures at the municipal school for a month.
