DOUGLAS - Two men, suspected of being members of an international auto-theft ring, were charged this week with stealing pickups, police said Friday.

The arrests come after a collaborative investigation between Douglas and Sierra Vista police. Bisbee and Tucson police also were involved. Jesse Armando Flores, 22, was arrested in Douglas and charged with motor-vehicle theft, theft, possession of marijuana, and felony probation violation. Flores was booked into the Cochise County Jail with a bond set at $25,000, Cochise County Sheriff's Department spokeswoman Carol Capas said.

Flores' Douglas neighbor, Jose Enrique Burruel-Zorrila, also 22, was arrested by Bisbee police for similar charges on Tuesday, said Officer Jerry Wolf, who is with the Sierra Vista police Street Crimes Unit.

Burruel-Zorrila is charged with three counts of motor-vehicle theft, theft, attempt to commit theft, failing to obey a peace officer and felony flight from police, Capas said. His bond is set at $20,000.

After a monthlong investigation, the two were charged this week with stealing a 2002 Ford F-350 from the Mall At Sierra Vista in December, Wolf said. Burruel-Zorrila also was charged with attempting to steal a 2005 Ford F-250 from the mall in December.

"Burruel and Flores are allegedly part of a ring operating out of Douglas that steals trucks in the United States and then sells them in Mexico," Wolf said.

Information leading to Wednesday's arrests came to police Dec. 7. Wolf said there are more suspects and he anticipates there will be more arrests. He did not want to comment on who the suspects are.

Burruel-Zorrila's arrest on Tuesday came after he lead U.S. Border Patrol agents and Bisbee police officers on a chase in Bisbee with a reported stolen vehicle from Tucson, Wolf said.

Burruel-Zorrila and Flores also were chased into Mexico driving the Ford F-350 by Douglas police in December, Wolf said. The truck was later located in Mexico and returned to its owner.

In the past, Sierra Vista police have said it is well known that Ford pickups are favorites of car thieves.

Officer Marcus Gonzales, a spokesman for the Douglas Police Department, and Sierra Vista police Lt. Gilbert Fuentes said Burruel-Zorrila and Flores are suspected of participating in an organized auto-theft group, but clarified they are not suspected of committing their crimes in affiliation with any local street gangs.

"This arrest only puts a dent in the many stolen and attempted stolen vehicles at the end of last year," Wolf added. "We believe that Burruel and Flores might have been involved in other vehicle thefts and attempts, but did not have the probable cause at this time to charge them.

"We do not believe that they were involved in the new trucks taken (in November and December) from Lawley's Team Ford. Most of the trucks taken from Lawley's Team Ford have been recovered, but no arrests have been made at this time."