Police crack relic theft, retrieve 24 items

Police in the Chinese capital announced they have cracked 2013's biggest case of relic theft, retrieving 24 stolen relics, Beijing Morning Post reported.

The stolen relics include a large stone lion and a flowerpot that was once used by Cixi, a Qing Dynasty queen, the newspaper said.

Police returned the relics that were reported to have been stolen in July to the city's administration of cultural heritage on Wednesday.

Police detained a total of 10 suspects in Beijing's suburban counties of Huairou, Miyun and Shunyi in a joint operation in September, and are still hunting one suspect who escaped. All the suspects are from Beijing.

Police have promised to expand cooperation with local cultural heritage departments in the fight against thefts of relics, which have been on the rise in the region.