Thieves thought they stole millions in Nvidia GPUs but got a nasty surprise when they opened up the doors
Hapless criminals who stole two trailers which had Nvidia and PlusAI logos thought they had swiped millions of dollars worth of valuable tech but had a nasty surprise when they opened the doors.
Thieves were left empty handed when they opened the trailers, expecting to see troves of AI hardware but instead, uncovered thousands of pounds of sand.
The bizarre incident took place in California on Thursday morning (September 24), when an executive at self-driving truck company PlusAI received an unexpected message from an acquaintance who had noticed two of the firm’s trucks near their workplace in Newark, California, and sent a congratulatory message.
However, there was one major problem - the trucks were not meant to be there. They had been kept outside the PlusAI warehouse located around half a mile away and they had not been authorized to be moved.
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Police were called to the scene and investigators now believe that the contents of the trailers may have prompted the thieves to abandon their apparent prize.
This is due to the fact that, instead of being packed with expensive Nvidia GPUs and other AI hardware, both trailers were full of 20,000 lbs of sand.
So, why were these two vehicles full of sand you might wonder? According to a report by WIRED, company spokesperson Lauren Kwan said: “PlusAI uses simulated loads in its trailers to assist with research and development testing.” PlusAI and Nvidia are both working together on autonomous trucking technology and AI software, making the Nvidia branding potentially valuable to anyone looking to steal high-end computing equipment.
A spokesperson for the Fremont Police Department confirmed that the case is still under investigation and no arrests have been made as of yet.
Just hours after the incident had been flagged, the trailers full of sand were returned to PlusAI.
The bizarre PlusAI news prompted many people to take to social media to share their own reactions, with one user writing on Reddit: “The van with ‘Free Candy’ painted on the outside did not, in fact, contain candy.”
And another said: “Sand is actually in high demand and we're running out of it. I'm not even kidding. Construction grade sand, that is.”
Autonomous freight trucks could be the future of delivery
With self-driving cars becoming more and more popular, it looks like autonomous trucks are the next step, as California’s Department of Motor Vehicles granted Aurora Innovation and Kodiak AI permission to begin testing their tech on public streets and highways.
The move was made back in April when the California DMV approved a new set of autonomous-vehicle regulations.
These rules have established a framework covering heavy-duty autonomous vehicles and opened the door to testing vehicles far larger than the robotaxis that have already become familiar on California roads.