Jakarta. The Indonesian Army on Wednesday pledged to conduct an extensive internal investigation and impose severe measures against those involved in a vehicle theft syndicate after the discovery of hundreds of stolen vehicles at a facility in Sidoarjo.

A collaborative effort between the police and the military unearthed a vehicle theft syndicate utilizing a warehouse and an open yard within the Army Engineering Center's premises in the East Java town to store 260 stolen vehicles.

Authorities revealed that these vehicles were destined for neighboring Timor Leste for potential sales.

"We are committed to scrutinizing the standard operating procedures and oversight mechanisms within the Army to comprehend how such an incident occurred. The unit head should have never permitted the premises to harbor illicit goods. We are actively investigating this matter," Army spokesperson Brigadier General Kristomei Sianturi said in Jakarta.

The investigation team has arrested five suspects, including three active soldiers, in connection to the vehicle theft case.

The trio, comprising a major, a lance corporal, and a private, faces scrutiny by the military police.

"We await the conclusion of the investigation by the military police of the Brawijaya Regional Military Command and will transparently disclose the findings," added the spokesperson.

Earlier in the day, the Jakarta Police disclosed that the syndicate operated across Jakarta, West Java, Central Java, and East Java. The vehicles they acquired often lacked proper ownership documentation and were sometimes seized from individuals failing to meet bank installment payments.

"The arrested suspects were in the process of preparing containers to transport the stolen vehicles to Tanjung Perak Port in Surabaya for onward shipment to Timor Leste, where potential buyers had placed orders," said Chief Commissioner Wira Satya Triputra, director of criminal investigation at the Jakarta Police.

The stolen vehicles have been transported to the Jakarta Police headquarters to support the ongoing investigation.

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