Four burglars were killed and another two were injured after an abandoned mine collapsed in Fuzhou city in southeast China's Fujian Province Thursday night, city officials announced on Friday.
The mine collapsed at 9:05 p.m. Thursday when six burglars were stealing the famous Shoushan Stone by breaking through an abandoned mine in Shoushan village in the city's Jin'an district.
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, officials said.
The injured burglars were sent to the hospital and are in stable conditions. Police are investigating the case.
Shoushan Stone, also known as 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.