Cursed Stones Haunt Tourist Until He Sends Them Back with a Chilling Confession

A remorseful tourist who says he was struck by tragedy and years of bad luck has mailed back volcanic stones he stole from a famous Spanish national park — along with a haunting confession letter written in English.

The unnamed traveler admitted to taking several dark, jagged stones from Timanfaya National Park in Lanzarote — a protected volcanic wonder known for its otherworldly “Fire Mountains” and simmering lava fields.

At the time, it was just an impulsive souvenir. But years later, after suffering what he described as “a serious personal tragedy,” the man said he began to believe he had been cursed.

“I have heard of legends where the removal of volcanic rock from its source of origin brings bad luck and I fear this has befallen me,” he wrote in his emotional note to park officials.

“After a major personal tragedy, I feel compelled to return this few grams of rock to Fire Mountain. I would be eternally grateful if you scatter them outside the visitor center where I picked them up, at the ‘hot coals’ spot.”

The park confirmed the stones and letter were received recently and shared the story publicly as a warning to others.

“That rock is meaningless in your display case,” a park spokeswoman said. “It’s not a souvenir or raw material for a pendant. It belongs to nature. It sustains the life and culture of our island. Stealing nature is stealing the future.”

Park authorities reminded tourists that taking volcanic rock or sand from the Canary Islands can lead to hefty fines — up to 3,000 euros (around $3,200). In recent years, airport customs officers at Lanzarote’s César Manrique Airport have confiscated bags filled with stolen sand and stones from tourists attempting to smuggle them home.

The incident mirrors a growing number of cases in which remorseful visitors have returned stolen artifacts to historic or natural sites — often claiming they were haunted or plagued by bad luck.

Just months ago, a British man named Paul mailed ancient plaster fragments back to Pompeii that his uncle had stolen over 50 years ago. Inside the box was an apology note reading: “These stones were taken illegally by Uncle Bob.”

Local folklore in Lanzarote has long warned that disturbing the island’s volcanic earth brings misfortune. The Timanfaya landscape was forged in violent 18th-century eruptions that buried entire villages under molten rock. Today, it’s considered sacred ground — a symbol of rebirth for the islanders who survived the disaster.

For the tourist who returned the stones, the curse may finally be lifted. But for the park’s caretakers, his story is a cautionary tale that keeps repeating.

“People think they’re taking home a souvenir,” the spokeswoman said. “What they’re really taking is bad luck.”