Russian troops in Melitopol plunder $5M farm autos from Ukraine — to seek out they have been remotely disabled

But after a journey of more than 700 miles, the thieves had been unable to use any of the tools -- as a result of it had been locked remotely.

CNN has discovered that the tools was faraway from an Agrotek dealership in Melitopol, which has been occupied by Russian forces since early March. Altogether it's valued at practically $5 million. The combine harvesters alone are worth $300,000 each.

CNN shouldn't be naming a contact in Melitopol accustomed to the details of the case for their very own safety.

The contact stated the method started with the seizure of two combine harvesters, a tractor and a seeder. Over the following few weeks, the whole lot else was eliminated: in all 27 pieces of farm equipment. One of the flat-bed vans used, and caught on digicam, had a white "Z" painted on it and appeared to be a army truck.

The contact stated there were rival teams of Russian troops: some would come within the morning and some in the evening.

Among the equipment was taken to a close-by village, however a few of it embarked on an extended overland journey to Chechnya greater than 700 miles away. The sophistication of the machinery, which are outfitted with GPS, meant that its travel could be tracked. It was last tracked to the village of Zakhan Yurt in Chechnya.

The tools ferried to Chechnya, which included combine harvesters -- can be managed remotely. "When the invaders drove the stolen harvesters to Chechnya, they realized that they could not even flip them on, as a result of the harvesters have been locked remotely," the contact said.

The gear now appears to be languishing at a farm near Grozny. But the contact said that "evidently the hijackers have found consultants in Russia who are attempting to bypass the safety."

"Even if they promote harvesters for spare elements, they'll earn some cash," the contact said.

Other sources in the Melitopol region say theft by Russian navy items has prolonged to grain held in silos, in a area that produces hundreds of hundreds of tonnes of crops a year.

One supply instructed CNN that "the occupiers are offering local farmers to share their income 50% to 50%." But the farmers attempting to work in areas occupied by Russian troops are unable to maneuver their produce.

"Not a single elevator works. Not one of the ports are working. You will not take this grain from the occupied territory anywhere. "

So Russian forces are simply taking the grain, the source said. "They steal it, take it to Crimea and that is it."

Last week the mayor of Melitopol posted a video displaying a convoy of vans leaving Melitopol allegedly loaded with grain.

"We have now clear evidence that they unloaded grain from the Melitopol metropolis elevator. They robbed the elevator along with non-public farms," the mayor told CNN.