Beijing: Four burglars have been killed and two others injured when an abandoned mine collapsed on them as they tried to enter it for stealing famous Shoushan stone in southeast China.
The incident occurred when six burglars attempting to steal the famous Shoushan Stone by breaking through an abandoned mine in China's Fujian Province's Shoushan village yesterday night.
One was killed at the scene and two were injured. Another three who were trapped in the mine were found dead by rescuers six hours later, state-run Xinhua news agency reported.
The injured burglars were sent to a nearby hospital and were said to be in stable conditions. Police are investigating the case.
Shoushan Stone, also known as agalmatolite, is the material for Shoushan Stone Carving, an art originating in Fujian Province.
The use of the stone for carving can be traced back as far as the Southern Dynasties and have long been used to produce handicrafts and later on in the Ming Dynasty.
