BEIJING - A Beijing court began hearing on Friday the case of a man suspected of stealing more than 1 million yuan ($158,800) in artifacts from the Palace Museum in the Forbidden City.

Shi Bokui, a 27-year-old farmer from Caoxian county, East China's Shandong province, appeared in Beijing Second Intermediate People's Court to face charges that he had stolen nine artifacts from the museum in May, China National Radio reported.

Court documents said Shi was stopped by a security guard before he fled the scene of the crime.