Organized crime steals over $100M in data center gear in transit since June 2026, NBC reports
Organized crime groups have stolen more than $100 million worth of data center equipment from transport trucks since June 2026, according to an NBC report cited by Tom's Hardware. The thefts include servers, fiber-optic and copper cabling, RAM modules, drives, routers and other gear destined for AI buildouts. A single heist in Reno took $38 million in equipment, while June 2026 saw $13 million…
Key points
- Over $100M in data center gear stolen in transit since June 2026, per NBC report
- Thieves use hacking, GPS spoofing, phishing and vehicle ramming to intercept shipments
- Stolen equipment likely routed to countries under U.S. AI export controls including China
Thieves use hacking, phishing, GPS spoofing and physical force such as ramming escort vehicles. They infiltrate freight broker accounts to access manifests and schedules, then impersonate carriers to redirect shipments. Drivers may be complicit, aided by AI-generated IDs and weak vetting. Law enforcement believes stolen gear is pre-sold to buyers in countries under U.S. AI export controls, including China. Verisk Cargonet's Keith Lewis compared the shipments to "pure gold bars." Verified Carrier reports suspicious activity linked to India, Uzbekistan, Pakistan, Colombia and Moldova. Overhaul's David Warrick describes the syndicates as operating like large corporations with deep supply chain penetration.
Data center gear is being hijacked in transit to the tune of hundreds of millions
Tom's Hardware · 27 October 2026
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