Police in east China's Anhui Province have arrested a group of tomb raiders that allegedly robbed 14 ancient tombs of precious cultural relics.

Six people face charges for raiding 14 tombs between April 2014 and January 2015, said a spokesman with the people's procuratorate in Nanling County, where the suspects were caught.

Operating across five counties, they stole artifacts from tombs dating back to the Han Dynasty (202 BC-220AD), the Tang Dynasty (618-907) and the Song Dynasty (960-1279).

The suspects were caught in January and are set to go on trial after the procuratorate prepares the case.

The stolen goods include bronze mirrors, bowls and plates, as well as water pots. The oldest objects among them were an ancient mirror and a green-glaze bowl manufactured in the late Tang Dynasty.

Experts identified 31 of the looted relics as being under state-level protection.

There were 10 members in the group of thieves, but four did not participate in the tomb robbing though were involved in other theft cases.