The man suspected of stealing ancient relics from the Palace Museum last year, Shi Baikui, has been charged at Beijing's No. 2 Intermediate Court with 13 years in prison.

At 9:30 Monday moring, Shi, a 27-year old farmer from east China's Shandong Province, was prosecuted for stealing priceless art pieces from the Palace Museum on May 8, 2011. He was put on trial last month, where he confessed to all nine thefts, which were insured for a total of 410,000 yuan ($64,780).

The stolen pieces were on loan from Hong Kong-based Liang Yi Museum and were being exhibited in the Chengsu Hall of the Palace Museum.

Shi entered the museum as a visitor and then hid himself inside and waited until the closing time. He first silenced the alarm system, then broke a window on the northern side of the exhibition hall to gain entry and proceeded to steal relics. A museum staff member found and questioned Shi when he tried to escape. But he fled as the worker was reporting him to the museum authorities. During his hasty escape, Shi left behind five pieces in the Forbidden City's compound. The next day, after he failed to sell the remaining items, Shi discarded them in a trash bin at the Summer Palace Road in Beijing's Haidian District.

Six pieces were recovered and the three missing were estimated to be worth 150,000 yuan ($23,700) in total. They were western-style make-up cases inlaid with jewels.

Along with 13 years in prison, Shi was also fined 13,000 yuan ($2,054) and deprived of his political rights for three years.

The court statement said Shi's punishment was meted out with leniency after he also admitted to stealing a notebook and mobile phone, previously unbeknown to police. The court said that due to his forthcoming confession, they decided against giving him the maximum sentence.

Shi has finally been sentenced. No matter how many years he will spend in the jail, the incident itself reveals the weakness of the Palace Museum's security, calling on the Forbidden City to strengthen the protection of the antient artifacts.

(CNTV.cn March 19, 2012)