Police have launched a manhunt for an inmate who broke out of a prison in north China's Hebei Province on Sunday, the provincial prison administration said Thursday.

A prisoner named Wang Zhenqing fled the Hebei Provincial No. 3 Prison in the city of Shenzhou at about 6:15 a.m. Sunday, the administration said in a statement.

Armed paramilitary officers have set up checkpoints on major roads out of Shenzhou to check passing vehicles. Prison guards have also been seen patrolling around the perimeter of the jail.

Local authorities are offering a reward of 100,000 yuan (15,600 U.S. dollars) for anyone who captures Wang, while 20,000 yuan will be given to anyone who provides information that leads to Wang's arrest.

Wang, a 43-year-old man from the city of Dancheng in Hebei's neighboring province of Henan, was sentenced in January to 10 years in prison for theft after being arrested in June of last year, according to the administration's statement.

Wang is approximately 1.75 meters tall with a medium build and grey hair.

The provincial prison administration declined to give further details about the incident, as the investigation and manhunt are still under way.

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