China construction workers turn tomb raiders

BEIJING, July 26 (Reuters) Chinese construction workers used bulldozers to dig up a tomb dating back about 2,000 years and steal priceless gold and porcelain, Chinese media reported today.

The Xi Han dynasty tomb was discovered in the eastern province of Zhejiang and was the largest of its kind found in the province, the Beijing News said.

''The tomb has important historical, artistic and scientific value,'' the newspaper said, adding that the occupant was possibly a member of the imperial family or a high-ranking member of the military.

Four construction workers stole more than 30 pieces of gold in the shape of good luck animal charms, assorted porcelain and other cultural relics, the newspaper said.

The four have since been were arrested.

China has little tradition of protecting its mass of archaeological sites amid what has become a huge construction boom, especially in the wealthy east.

Earlier this month, about 10 tombs dating back nearly 1,800 years were destroyed by construction workers building an IKEA store in Nanjing in southeastern China.

REUTERS LPB ND1045