On Thursday morning a senior executive at autonomous-truck startup PlusAI received an unexpected congratulatory text from a contact who claimed to have seen the company's trucks near his workplace in Newark, California. The message, quoted by WIRED, read, “I have been proud of you for your adventure and success at Plus. Just saw two of your trucks near my work place! :)”. Shortly thereafter the executive learned the trucks were not where they should have been.
Police from the Fremont department responded to the report and located two trailers bearing the PlusAI and Nvidia logos on a nearby road. The vehicles had been taken from a dock outside PlusAI’s warehouse, roughly half a mile from the site where they were expected. Officers began a recovery operation that same afternoon, guided by information supplied by PlusAI staff.
Investigation of the trailers revealed that each was loaded with approximately 20,000 pounds of sand. The sand, according to PlusAI employees, was likely dumped after the thieves forced open the hand-locked doors. The cab sections of the autonomous trucks, where drivers normally sit, remained inside the warehouse and were not taken. No other cargo was reported missing.
The theft occurs amid a surge in criminal activity targeting high-value technology components, especially semiconductor chips and data-center hardware. Earlier this year WIRED reported two California incidents in which thieves deliberately struck security-escort vehicles that accompany valuable tech shipments, then redirected the trucks to other destinations. As of August, millions of dollars worth of such equipment remained unrecovered, highlighting a growing security challenge for the industry.
Recent months have also seen thefts of Tesla battery packs and bitcoin-mining rigs. While law-enforcement agencies have secured arrests in some cases, a substantial number of incidents remain unresolved. The pattern suggests organized groups are focusing on portable, high-value electronic assets that can be quickly moved and sold on secondary markets.
Analytics firm Verisk CargoNet notes that metals and enterprise-grade computer and networking gear are among the most frequently targeted items in U.S. cargo thefts. Their data underscores the vulnerability of supply chains that handle heavy, high-tech cargo, prompting companies to reassess security protocols and consider additional tracking or escort services for shipments.
By Thursday afternoon the sand-filled trailers were returned to PlusAI’s premises, according to the Fremont Police Department. The case remains open, with no arrests reported, and a spokesperson for the department, Amy Gee, confirmed the investigation is ongoing. The incident highlights the need for stronger safeguards as autonomous-vehicle manufacturers and their partners transport valuable AI-related equipment.