The next target of the thieves is an 'AI data center' rich in copper wire.
Thieves have taken advantage of the boom in data center construction driven by increased demand for AI, stealing copper wire and expensive servers from these sites.
The $725 million cargo theft economy has a new target: Data centers and AI hardware | Fortune
Cargo thieves target AI data center supplies in $1.3 million heists — $300,000 worth of copper wire and $1 million worth of equipment recovered outside Chicago | Tom's Hardware
https://www.tomshardware.com/tech-industry/data-centers/cargo-thieves-target-ai-data-center-supplies-in-usd1-3-million-heists-usd300-000-worth-of-copper-wire-and-usd1-million-worth-of-equipment-recovered-outside-chicago
Freight Pulse — Freight Market Intelligence
https://freightpulse.us/article/authorities-recover-more-than-1-3-million-in-stolen-copper-wire-and-data-center-equipment-near-chicago
In June 2026, a trailer carrying approximately $300,000 worth of copper wire spools, usable as power supplies for data center servers, was seized near Chicago, Illinois. According to security authorities, another trailer carrying $1 million worth of infrastructure equipment was also seized from the same location. The trailer carrying the copper wire was located using a GPS tracker.
Both trailers had been reported stolen; the former was stolen in Pine Hill, Alabama, and the latter in Jacksonville, Florida. According to reports, the license plates on the trailer carrying the copper wire spools had been replaced with those from Indiana, leading to speculation that the thieves were trying to deceive the authorities.
According to data analytics firm Verisk CargoNet, cargo theft is projected to cost $725 million (approximately 11.78 billion yen) in 2025, and in 2026 alone, 767 cargo theft incidents occurred in the first three months, with stolen goods worth $132 million (approximately 210 million yen). While the total number of incidents decreased from 3,854 in 2024 to 3,594 in 2025, the average price of stolen goods increased by approximately $75,000 (approximately 12 million yen) during the same period. Electronic devices accounted for 22% of stolen goods in 2025.
Verisk CargoNet noted that 'high-value, easily resalable technology products such as servers, semiconductors, and other components supporting AI infrastructure are becoming increasingly attractive targets for thieves.'
Data center equipment, especially servers, is extremely expensive and highly specialized, and is typically only purchased by organizations and large corporations, making it difficult for thieves to sell on the black market. Buyers of such expensive equipment are likely to demand formal receipts and warranties, which thieves and dealers cannot provide.
David Warwick, vice president of supply chain risk management company Overhaul, points out that the thieves of copper wire and other data center equipment are not ordinary people looking to make a quick buck, but criminal organizations smuggling the goods to regions such as China, Russia, and Iran, which the U.S. has banned the export of AI technology to. Warwick said, 'Criminal organizations have infiltrated every part of the supply chain, from drivers to warehouse operators. They know where valuable goods are located and who they are trading with, and they are looking to find and exploit weaknesses in the supply chain,' explaining that the thefts are planned and not just impulsive robberies.
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