Six pallets of Nvidia GPUs worth $11.4M stolen in California in Aug 2026

Authorities are investigating the disappearance of six pallets of Nvidia hardware valued at $11.4 million. The shipment left Oakland for Texas on August 29, 2026, aboard a truck posing as a food-transport company. Investigators lost track of the vehicle in San Bernardino County, and Oakland police received a theft report on September 13. No arrests have been announced. The heist underscores how valuable advanced computing hardware has become to thieves: a UC Berkeley business professor said chips can sell abroad for roughly twice their U.S. price. Experts also warn that stolen high-end hardware could enter black markets, raising concerns about shipment security and national security.

The case follows a theft in Brazil in which two pallets of Nvidia GeForce RTX 5090 cards, worth about $470,000, vanished from São Paulo’s Guarulhos airport after clearing customs. Police suspect three airport employees: two forklift operators allegedly removed the pallets, while a third helped bypass electronic release controls. CCTV reportedly captured the removal. Investigators linked one stolen Zotac card to the shipment after it appeared for sale online for more than $6,000, using its visible serial number. The listing was removed, but the remaining cards have not been located. Together, the incidents illustrate the risks of moving expensive GPUs through complex freight and airport systems, where theft can involve both impersonation and possible insider assistance.