A gang of eight dug a 50m underground tunnel in an attempt to steal the ancient treasures inside a 1,400-year-old temple. The real-life tomb raiders began their daring plan by renting a restaurant across the road from Guanghui Temple in Zhengdin County, North China at the start of February. And while serving snacks to the public at the front of the building, a team on the inside was hard at work with shovels, ladders, and power drills - digging their way towards the temple's famous Hua Pagoda. Audacious plot: A seven-metre deep tunnel, which led to a 50m-long underground passage, was discovered by police when they raided the gang's property - across the road from Guanghui Temple . Historical site: The temple dates back to the Tang Dynasty and the Hua Pagoda (pictured) is nationally protected . The Criminal Investigation Bureau was tipped off about the group's audacious plan at the beginning of March and a task force was assigned to the case, reports People's Daily Online. After two days of investigation, police officers located the tunnel and were able to determine its source. They launched a sting operation four days later and five gang members were arrested - all of who confessed to plans to steal artefacts beneath the pagoda. The gang was just 20 metres away from breaching the Hua Pagoda when they were caught. Evidence of plan: Dozens of bags of earth dug up by the gang during their tunnelling were also found by police . Police questioning revealed that the gang's leader is a man named Zhang from Tianjin, North China. Zhang is a known artefact thief and his associates have also been involved in similar crimes in the past. They were able to hide their construction equipment from the rented property's landlord for more than a month - as it's thought they began digging around the Chinese New Year. After removing a board on the restaurant's floor, police discovered a seven-metre-deep tunnel that opened into a passage leading towards the Hua pagoda located 70 metres away. Almost succeeded: The gang had dug 50 metres towards the Hua Pagoda and were just 20 metres away from breaching it when they were foiled by police . Secret underground lair: The tunnel was around 50 metres long when the criminal gang was caught on March 6 . The tunnel was around 50 metres long when the gang was caught on March 6. Five were arrested and three people are still on the run. Guanghui Temple was built in Tang Dynasty (618-907 AD) and renovated in the five Dynasties (908-960 AD). It was destroyed during the war in late Qing Dynasty and the pagoda was the only monument remained intact. The Hua Pagoda is included in the Major Historical and Cultural Sites Protected at the National Level (MHCSPNL) in 1961. Known to police: The gang's leader, Zhang, who was arrested, has a history of artefact theft . Concealed: The gang were able to hide their construction equipment from the rented property's landlord for more than a month . Raided by police: Five men were arrested following a tip-off, but three of the gang are now on the run .
Gang hatched an audacious plot to rob Guanghui Temple in North China . Plan involved renting restaurant across the street and digging 70m tunnel . But before they could breach temple, police were tipped off about the heist . 5 men were arrested including the gang's leader, a well-known artefact thief .