PlusAI: Two Nvidia-branded Trailers Stolen, Found Filled with Sand

Two trailers belonging to PlusAI, one displaying the Nvidia logo, were stolen overnight from Thursday to Friday. Each contained 20,000 pounds of sand and was recovered that same afternoon by Newark police. No arrests have been made, and the investigation is ongoing. This incident comes as thefts of AI equipment are on the rise, with Overhaul reporting over $150 million in losses and a 34% increase since 2024.

The Rise of AI Equipment Theft and the Ongoing Investigation

Supply chain security company Overhaul has reported over $150 million in losses related to AI equipment to date. According to Overhaul, thefts involving data center and computing hardware have increased by 34% since 2024. In the case of the PlusAI trailers, Fremont police stated that both vehicles were located by Newark police on the afternoon of the report. No arrests had been made by Friday, and the investigation is still ongoing. Nvidia did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Two PlusAI Trailers Stolen, Loaded with 20,000 Pounds of Sand

Two trailers belonging to PlusAI, one of which bore the Nvidia logo, were stolen overnight from Thursday to Friday. Each was carrying 20,000 pounds of sand, not Nvidia GPUs. PlusAI uses Nvidia chips in its autonomous driving systems, but no sensitive components were being transported in these trailers at the time of the theft.

Spotted by a Bystander, Recovered by Police, PlusAI Enhances Vigilance

A few hours after the theft was discovered, a friend of a PlusAI employee noticed the trailers parked near the offices of another company, unaware that they had been stolen. PlusAI employees confirmed their location and alerted the police. Lauren Kwan, Vice President of Marketing at PlusAI, explained that sand is used to replicate the weight of a cargo during driving tests. The trailers appeared to have been opened; however, nothing was stolen or damaged. According to Kwan, the Nvidia branding may have attracted the thieves' interest. She noted that in its ten years of existence, PlusAI had never experienced such an incident and that the company is now considering additional security measures.