Authorities in central China's Henan Province were investigating the death of a suspected thief after he was detained earlier this month.

The detainee, Wang Yahui, 28, died at the Lushan County People's Hospital after emergency treatment failed, a spokesman with the county public security bureau said Friday.

Wang became sick when being interrogated by police at the Lushan County Detention Center at around 9:00 p.m. on Feb. 21 and was rushed to hospital, the spokesman said.

Wang, from Ganshuli Village in Lushan County, was held in custody on Feb. 18 for alleged theft. He confessed to stealing from the trunk of cars in Wuxi of eastern Jiangsu Province, he said.

Wang's family said there were wounds on Wang's body. Whether the wounds were caused by police at the center was being looked into, he said.

Four police officers have been placed in confinement. Officials with the provincial procuratorate and public security bureau were investigating the case, the spokesman said.