The men have been identified as Wei Zhi Heng and Liao Zhibo, both 31, and Wei Jinlian, 37, from Guangxi Province, police in the central province said Thursday.

At the police station, the thieves admitted that they had carried out at least six break-ins in Thanh Hoa and nearby Ha Nam Province. The cost of goods stolen is estimated at around VND763 million ($32,739).

According to the investigators, Heng and Jinlian illegally entered Vietnam while Zhibo came to the country on a sightseeing tour but escaped to join his two accomplices.

The men will be held in custody pending further investigation.

Cases of Chinese nationals illegally entering the country and ending up in robberies and fraud are not uncommon in Vietnam. Last week, the Ho Chi Minh City police arrested 20 Chinese people for allegedly carrying out phone scams.

China is the largest source of foreign visitors to Vietnam. The country received 2.1 million Chinese arrivals in the first five months of this year, almost the same as last year.