Trio of grave robbers die in carbon monoxide poisoning, six others sentenced

Six grave robbers in China have been sentenced to prison after another three of their gang died in a failed attempt to rob an ancient tomb.

The three men died of carbon monoxide poisoning when the gang used a gasoline-powered water pump to drain water from a cave last year. The other six men were sentenced to prison terms ranging from 10 months to one year and eight months.

The grave robbery case was recently concluded by the Aohan Banner People’s Court in Chifeng city of Inner Mongolia autonomous region.

According to the court, the gang of grave robbers first tried to rob the tomb in June 2022, but they were forced to stop due to heavy rain. They returned to the site a few days later, but they argued about how to fund the purchase of more equipment, and the group disbanded.

Over a month later, the ringleader of the gang surnamed Chen, mobilized a new group of eight men to rob the tomb. They worked at night and rested during the day. Three took turns digging in the cave while the others carried and unloaded soil at the cave entrance.

As rainwater flooded into the cave when they dug deeper, the group bought a gasoline-powered water pump to drain the water. The pump generated a large amount of carbon monoxide gas inside the cave, leading to the poisoning and death of the three diggers.

The remaining six men turned themselves in to the police.

The tomb that the gang tried to rob is a newly discovered site belonging to the Liao and Jin dynasties (916-1234). The tomb is important for exploring the history and funeral culture of the two dynasties.

According to Nanfang Metropolis Daily, Aohan Banner is known for its rich historical and cultural heritage. There are more than 4,000 ancient cultural sites and tombs discovered in the banner. (China Daily)