Cargo thieves have stolen more than $150 million worth of AI equipment in the United States so far in 2026, according to Overhaul's AI Infrastructure Intel Report, reported for truckers by Land Line Media. Yaani: $150 million is about 15 crore dollars in losses — from an industry that moves on the same highways Punjabi truckers drive every day.
Source: Land Line Media
The report found thefts involving data-centre equipment, chips and computing components are up 34 percent since 2024, and the total value of goods stolen is up more than 110 percent. A single flagship AI server rack costs roughly $3 million — yaani about 30 lakh dollars — so one truckload routinely carries eight figures of value, Overhaul said.
Source: Overhaul AI Infrastructure Intel Report
$150M+ in AI equipment stolen in 2026 so far · chip and data-centre thefts up 34% since 2024 · 92% of high-value tech loads taken by deception · individual losses now regularly exceed $30M · largest single AI cargo theft on record topped $100M (yaani 10 crore dollars)
The method has changed. Across the affected high-value technology shipments, deception was used in 92 percent of cases, the report said — including fraudulent carrier identities, double-brokering, spoofed communications and falsified paperwork that let crews slip inside legitimate freight transactions. OTR News, summarising the same findings on Oct. 22, put it plainly: cargo thieves are using fraud, not force, to take AI hardware loads, and drivers and small carriers can be used as cover.
Source: PR Newswire / Overhaul
"AI hardware is some of the most concentrated value moving through the supply chain right now, and it's become the fastest-growing target for these criminal networks," said Barry Conlon, CEO and founder of Overhaul. "As thieves become increasingly deceptive, visibility into a shipment alone isn't enough to stop it from being taken."
Why this matters on the road
The report says thefts at this scale are now occurring weekly, and the loads move on ordinary roads before the equipment is installed. For small carriers and owner-operators — a large share of them Punjabi in California, Texas and across the Midwest — the risk is not only losing a load: a fraudulent booking made in a carrier's name can put that carrier's own authority and reputation on the line. The report's message to shippers and carriers is to verify who is really on the other side of a booking, not just track where the truck is.
What is solid
- Overhaul recorded more than $150 million in AI equipment cargo losses in 2026 to date.
- Thefts of data-centre equipment, chips and computing components rose 34% since 2024.
- Deception was used in 92% of affected high-value tech shipments, per the report.
What is only claimed
- The figures come from Overhaul, a supply-chain security company that sells monitoring services; they are industry estimates, not a federal crime statistic.