Viennese Fashion Victim Faces Fine

A trip to Italy left a bitter taste in the mouth of one Viennese lady this June. Seconds after snapping up an imitation Luis Vuitton handbag on the beach at Tresolo, the pensioner found herself the subject of a police swoop. A 1000 Euro fine was demanded of the Viennese lady, who could not believe her ears:

"Are you joking?" she retorted to the assembled officers. "I don't go to the beach with 1,000 Euros, and knew nothing of this law. Some bargain this turned out to be," Italian paper Corriere della Sera quoted her as remarking.

However, local mayor, Francesco Calzavara, is standing his ground.

"We are convinced that if the demand drops, so will the offer," he proclaimed.

A local tourism body is joining forces to reimburse the Viennese lady. Yet unsurprisingly, she has already declared that she will not be returning to Italy for any future holidays.