Two PlusAI trailers docked half a mile from their Newark, California warehouse were stolen Thursday morning, only to be recovered with their simulated cargo intact. The trucks carried approximately 20,000 pounds of sand each, a total of 40,000 pounds, according to Lauren Kwan, a company spokesperson.
Kwan received a text message from an acquaintance shortly after the theft. The message read: “I have been proud of you for your adventure and success at Plus. Just saw two of your trucks near my work place! :)”
The sender was surprised to see the vehicles near their office. Police confirmed the trailers were not supposed to be in that location. They were emblazoned with logos for PlusAI and Nvidia, the world’s most valuable company. The two firms collaborate on AI software and autonomous truck technology.
PlusAI employees told police that the thief likely abandoned the operation after breaking into the units. The tech-enabled cabs, where drivers sit and control the vehicle, remained parked inside the warehouse. The trailers were secured with hand locks that had been broken.
“PlusAI uses simulated loads in its trailers to assist with research and development testing,” Kwan said. The recovered trailers held 40,000 pounds of sand intact.
Amy Gee, a spokesperson for the Fremont Police Department, stated the case is under investigation and no arrests have been made. Nvidia did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
The incident occurs as theft of high-value computer equipment rises. In August, WIRED reported two California incidents where thieves struck security escort vehicles carrying high-value tech loads. Those trucks were driven to another destination. As of August, millions of dollars of data center equipment on board had not been recovered.
This year, thieves have also targeted Tesla batteries and various bitcoin mining machines. Authorities have arrested suspects in some cases, but many crimes remain unsolved.
Verisk CargoNet, an analytics and risk assessment firm, lists metals and enterprise-grade computer and networking equipment as common targets of cargo theft in recent months across the US.
The story has a happier ending. By Thursday afternoon, the sand trailers were back with PlusAI, the Fremont Police Department said.
What it means
For the people building the trucks and the software, the theft confirms that physical security is a major hurdle. The cabs were safe inside, but the trailers were vulnerable. The fact that the sand remained suggests the thieves did not plan to sell the cargo, but rather to steal the hardware or the data within. This highlights that even when digital systems are secure, the physical assets supporting them are still at risk.
