Car-Theft Ring Members Executed

Five members of Beijing’s biggest auto-theft ring have been put to death for stealing 60 cars, the state-run Economic Daily reported Friday.

One other ring member was warned he would be put to death if he did not behave well in prison and three others were ordered imprisoned at a court hearing Thursday.

Immediately after the hearing, the five were taken away to be shot, the newspaper said.

Economic Daily said the 60 vehicles the ring stole from 1994 to October 1995 were worth $1 million and that gang members squandered the money.