11While the women were on their way, some of the guards went into the city and reported to the chief priests all that had happened. 12** you do not have permission to see this link ** 13and instructed them: “You are to say, ‘His disciples came by night and stole His body while we were asleep.’…

don’t really understand what matthew is saying here

is matthew saying that the chief priests trusted the claim of the soldiers that they saw an angel come down and role away the stone?

You are to say, ‘His disciples came by night and stole His body while we were asleep.’…

but if matthew is believing in the claim that jesus is appearing in different places, why would he have the religious chief priests spread claim of stolen body?