Jakarta. A joint investigation by the police and the military uncovered a vehicle theft ring involving active soldiers and discovered at least 260 stolen cars and motorcycles kept at a storage facility of the Army in the East Java town of Sidoarjo.

Police said Wednesday the syndicate planned to sell the stolen vehicles -- including 214 motorcycles and 46 cars -- to undisclosed buyers in neighboring Timor Leste.

The joint investigation team has arrested three Army soldiers and two civilians as suspects.

"We will coordinate with the National Police’s International Relations Division to expand the investigation and coordinate with the police of Timor Leste," Chief Comr. Wira Satya Triputra, the Jakarta Police’s criminal investigation director, told a news conference in Jakarta.

The stolen cars include 18 Daihatsu pickups and minivans, 17 Suzuki pickups, 10 Toyota cars, and a Mitsubishi pickup.

Of the 214 stolen motorcycles and scooters, 210 are Honda brands.

They all have been transported to the Jakarta Police headquarters, which initiated the investigation in coordination with the Brawijaya Military Command in East Java province.

Police said those vehicles were kept at the storage facility belonging to the Army Engineering Center in Sidoarjo with the syndicate planning to send them to Tanjung Perak Port in Surabaya for shipment to Timor Leste.

Three soldiers -- a major, a lance corporal, and a private -- have been detained by the Military Police as suspects.

The two civilian suspects have been identified as Eko Irianto and Maryanto. Eko allegedly acted as the ring’s financier who funded the shipment to Timor Leste while Maryanto is accused of collecting the stolen vehicles.

A sixth suspect, whose identity was not disclosed, remains at large.

“The syndicate operated in Jakarta, West Java, Central Java, and East Java. They acquired vehicles which have no proper ownership documents,” Wira said.

Some of the vehicles were seized from the original owners who had failed to repay the bank installments.

“The suspects were preparing containers to transport the stolen vehicles to Tanjung Perak Port for shipments to Timor Leste, where there are people who have placed orders,” the officer added.

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