PlusAI trailers stolen, thieves find only sand inside

On September 24, thieves stole two trailers from PlusAI's Fremont, California warehouse, including one displaying joint PlusAI and NVIDIA branding. The perpetrators broke hand locks and towed the equipment away overnight, apparently seeking high-value technology or components.

However, the trailers contained only 40,000 pounds of sand, used by PlusAI for realistic weight testing during autonomous truck development. The equipment was recovered the same day in Newark after a chance sighting by an acquaintance of PlusAI's vice president of legal, highlighting both the vulnerability of facility security and the role of unexpected human factors in cargo recovery.

While the theft was ultimately unsuccessful in terms of cargo value, it raises questions about whether the prominent NVIDIA branding influenced the decision to target these specific trailers and underscores the ongoing challenge of protecting high-profile logistics assets. Authorities have not yet identified the perpetrators or confirmed a motive, though investigators continue their investigation.