Two hundred and twenty-two valuable cultural relics were stolen in 2004, prompting the Chinese State Administration of Cultural Heritage to warn the nation about the rising cases of theft, the Beijing Daily reported Friday.

2004 saw an 81.8 percent increase of theft in cultural relics in China, the paper said.

The newspaper, citing the State Administration of Cultural Heritage, said 40 thefts of cultural relics were reported in China last year, with 222 valuable relics lost. Seven of these cases have been cracked, with related relics recovered.

The administration told the paper that disorganized management by local historical relics authorities is the major reason for there bounding theft cases last year.

According to the newspaper, 24 of the 40 thefts were committed by groups. At dawn on January 3, 2004, six or seven armed thieves rushed into an ancestral temple in northwest China's Shaanxi Province and stole two stone monuments after tying up the staff. Therefore, the administration called for more efforts to strengthen protection of cultural relics.

Many of the stolen cultural relics are carved stones or Budd has preserved in some temples or even in open fields, said the newspaper.

Editor: Catherine