A stolen Chinese calligraphy scroll worth millions of dollars has been found in Hong Kong after being cut in half.

Thieves stole the scroll of Chinese Communist leader Mao Zedong from the home of an industrial collector in a burglary last month.

They then sell it at a fraction of its value. The 2.7-meter-long (9-foot) scroll, which was supposed to be too long to display, was reduced, Hong Kong police said.

The original owner said the quality of the artwork had “certainly been affected”.

Lots of hist

Written by the founder of the People’s Republic of China, the scroll is believed to be worth about 300 300 million (23 230 million) from its owner.

It was on September 10, when three men entered the home of Fu Chunsiao, a well-known collector of stamps and revolutionary art, that it was stolen by a huge legacy.

They also gave Mao old stamps, copper coins and other pieces of calligraphy. The theft occurred when the total HK was valued at HK5 billion (45 45,645 million, £ 500m), according to Mr. Fu, who was in mainland China.

The thieves sold one of the pieces to another art collector for only কে 500 ($ 64, £ 50) to a buyer who believed the work was a forgery, according to the South China Morning Post.

The buyer then saw an appeal to the public to the police and surrendered on 22 September with two pieces of scroll.

It’s not clear who cut the artwork, said Tony Ho, a senior superintendent at the Hong Kong Police.

“It’s broken into two pieces, one piece into two pieces, one piece into two pieces, one piece into pieces, one piece into pieces, one piece into pieces, one piece into pieces, one piece into pieces, one piece into pieces, one piece into pieces, one piece into pieces, one piece into pieces, one piece into pieces.”

Police later arrested the 49-year-old buyer on charges of handling stolen property, although he has now been released on bail.

A suspected thief has also been arrested, but two other thieves who entered Mr Fu’s home are still at large.