Thief gets long stretch

The city's prosecutor on Wednesday defended the heavy sentencing of Shi Baikui, who stole jewelry from the Forbidden City last year, saying stealing from a museum is a worse offense than stealing from an ordinary house, the Beijing Evening News reported.

"Considering the special nature of [the museum], it is within the law to extend severe punishment for the theft," said the prosecutor Li Songyi.

Shi was given 13 years Monday for stealing nine pieces of contemporary jewelry from the museum on May 8, 2011. His defense argued it is over-punishment for a minor offense.