A cargo truck carrying $11.4 million worth of Nvidia computer hardware vanished in Southern California after departing Oakland, California, on August 29. The truck, which was marked with a food company's logo, was en route to Fort Worth, Texas.
Authorities reported that the initial handoff of the shipment proceeded as planned, but the truck and its drivers disappeared somewhere along the route. Investigators lost the vehicle's trail in San Bernardino County. According to reports, the truck made several stops lasting multiple hours before its disappearance.
The theft was not reported until early September, allowing the perpetrators several days to abscond with the valuable cargo. No arrests have been announced in connection with the incident.
This theft is the latest in a string of brazen robberies targeting shipments of valuable hardware related to artificial intelligence technology. The demand for AI has significantly increased the value of data center equipment.
In September, thieves targeted two co-branded Nvidia and PlusAI semi-trailers in Newark, California, apparently expecting to steal AI graphics processing units. However, the trailers contained approximately 40,000 pounds of sand instead of the anticipated high-value hardware.
Another incident occurred in June when a transport trailer carrying servers was stolen while traveling east toward Georgia. The trailer was later found abandoned and empty in a Stockton truck yard, with the valuable equipment already missing. In that heist, thieves reportedly forced an escort vehicle to pull over during the robbery.