Relics theft term upheld

A Beijing court yesterday upheld the jail term handed to the man behind a sensational theft from Beijing's Forbidden City last year.

Shi Baikui, 27, was sentenced to 13 years plus a fine of 13,000 yuan (US$2,063) on March 19 by the Beijing No. 2 Intermediate People's Court. The Beijing Higher People's Court upheld the verdict after rejecting Shi's appeal for a 10-year reduction to his term.

The court stated Shi, from Shandong Province, broke into the heavily guarded Palace Museum, more popularly known as the Forbidden City, and stole nine pieces of art made of gold and jewels, on May 8, 2011.

The stolen relics were on loan from Hong Kong and insured for 410,000 yuan.

While hastily escaping, Shi left behind five of the pieces in the Forbidden City's compound. Failing to immediately sell the treasures, he threw the other four pieces away the next day, the verdict said.

Six pieces were recovered and the three missing ones are estimated to be worth 150,000 yuan in total.

Shi was apprehended by police at an Internet cafe in Beijing 58 hours after the theft. He later pleaded for leniency, saying the theft was a "spur-of-the-moment" act.

The incident sparked concerns over security loopholes in the Forbidden City, former home of Chinese emperors, inspiring the museum to update its surveillance system.