PlusAI and Nvidia trailers stolen in California contain only sand

Thieves targeting high-value technology in Fremont, California, mistakenly stole two trailers containing only sand. On September 25, 2026, unidentified individuals broke into the warehouse of autonomous trucking developer PlusAI and detached two trailers marked with PlusAI and Nvidia logos.

Instead of the expected high-performance AI hardware, the trailers were loaded with approximately 40,000 pounds (18.1 tons) of sand. PlusAI uses these heavy loads as ballast to simulate real-world cargo weight during research and development tests for autonomous driving systems.

The perpetrators drove the trailers about 800 meters before abandoning them in the nearby city of Newark. The theft was discovered after an acquaintance of a PlusAI executive spotted the vehicles and alerted the company. The actual truck cabs, which house the valuable autonomous technology, were left behind at the warehouse. The Fremont Police Department is currently investigating the incident, but no arrests have been made.