Experts say two recent California cargo thefts show criminal groups using extreme tactics to seize servers and other gear destined for AI data centers, including deliberately disabling private security escorts on high-value hauls.
August 2026 · AI infrastructure security
Cargo thieves hit AI data-center gear—hard
Experts link two California hauls to violent tactics that disable private security escorts, then vanish with servers and other AI hardware worth millions.
+60%
YoY cargo-theft losses (US/Canada, 2025)
$725M
Total reported losses in 2025
+36%
Rise in average loss per incident
22%
Of thefts involve electronics
Cargo-theft losses: prior year vs 2025
Indexed to prior year = 100; 2025 ≈ 160 after a ~60% jump
US/Canada cargo-theft losses climbed to about $725 million in 2025.
How the California hits unfolded
1 · Escort hit
Hit-and-run or PIT disables security escort
→
2 · Truck vanishes
Semi never reaches destination; driver missing
→
3 · Gear lost
Millions in data-center hardware disappear
Notable recoveries (same unit: $ millions)
Vertical stacks proportional to recovered value
Industry response
Year-round escorts, GPS trackers, plate cameras, and MOTUS checks; one firm cites 13,000 protected loads with zero loss.
Open concerns
Possible driver collusion, unsolved cases, rising insurance costs, and fears of smuggling export-sensitive chips abroad.
Key takeaway
AI build-out has turned data-center freight into a high-reward target—and escorts themselves are now under attack.
Average theft value ~$275,000; electronics ~22% of cargo crime as servers, copper, cooling, and switches fill the roads.
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