XI'AN, May 31 (Xinhua) -- A man in northwest China's Shaanxi Province has been sentenced to two years in prison with three years of probation for damaging an ancient bridge.

According to the court of Weiyang District of Xi'an City, the 36-year-old was running a parking lot in a village of the district. He started digging in the area using an excavator and slag car in May 2017. The archaeological team of the Weihe River ancient bridge reported his activities to police.

The man promised to stop digging and to fill the pit after being warned by local police that the area is part of the ancient bridge relics site. However, he again started to dig sand in July, and the archaeological team called the police again.

Police said the man damaged 11 percent of the bridge's main body, over 500 bridge piles and other parts of the site.

The bridge, made of wood and stone and with a total length of 880 meters, was built more than 2,000 years ago.

The criminal was also fined 30,000 yuan (4,674 U.S. dollars).