‘The Worst I’ve Ever Seen’: Cargo Thefts Have Turned Violent in Pursuit of AI Hardware
Aug 12, 2026 6:00 AM
Experts allege that two recent incidents in California show the extreme lengths that criminal organizations are willing to go to to steal servers and other gear meant for data centers.
Photo-Illustration: WIRED Staff; Getty Images
During the 25 years Gerardo Pachuca has spent investigating thieves who steal cargo from semitrucks, he says he’s never seen behavior this brazen. The consultant and former Los Angeles sheriff’s detective claims that two times in recent months, robbers stole pricey hardware destined for AI data centers using a confrontational new tactic. It’s left the freight industry on edge.
| Got a Tip? |
|---|
| Do you work in the freight or tech industry and want to talk about what's happening? We'd like to hear from you. Using a nonwork phone or computer, contact the reporters securely on Signal at peard33.24 and aarianm.30 |
Investigators found Meta server switches and other allegedly stolen cargo at a warehouse in Anaheim, California, in June.
Courtesy of California Highway PatrolPete Hegseth’s plan for ‘high T’ troops is a junk-science fever dream
Reporting from WIRED contributed to this story.
