Police in east China's Zhejiang Province announced on Monday that they have captured a suspect in the theft of 25 kilograms of diamonds, gold and jade valued at more than 4 million yuan.

The suspect, Wang Zhengran, was apprehended in the southern city of Guangzhou on Sunday. Police said they found about 1,000 pieces of stolen gems, estimated to be worth 2 million yuan, in his apartment and also in a kitchen in another house on Monday morning.

The theft, reported on January 16 by a jewelry shop in the city of Dongyang in Zhejiang Province, was a major case in the province.

The investigation is continuing.

In June, a serial gold thief was sentenced to 15 years in prison after being convicted of stealing 400,000 yuan (about 52,600 U.S. dollars) from gold shops and jewelers in Shanghai.

The court said Fu Fei, 41, a resident of Zhejiang, committed the crimes to raise money for gambling. Fu was also ordered to repay 400,000 yuan to the shops, as well as a 50,000 yuan fine.

(Xinhua News Agency November 20, 2007)