AI data center supplies hit by cargo thieves copper wires, construction materials all stolen in $1.3 million heists

Date:
Wed, 01 Jul 2026 16:00:00 +0000

Description:
Organized criminals are increasingly targeting data center cargo movements, like copper, as theft volume and losses rise.

FULL STORY ======================================================================Copy link Facebook X Whatsapp Reddit Pinterest Flipboard Threads Email Share this article 0 Join the conversation Follow us Add us as a preferred source on Google Newsletter Subscribe to our newsletter Recent discoveries include
$300k in copper and $1m in data center equipment Demand (and prices) for copper remains high Manufacturers and shippers are fighting back Criminals
are increasingly turned their attentions to data centers as AI-related construction projects accelerate across the US, with organized crime groups targeting expensive hardware and construction materials, experts have warned.

According to Business Insider , a trailer containing about $300,000 worth of copper wire spool was recovered in one incident alone, but in a related incident just one week prior, another trailer containing around $1 million worth of data center equipment was also recovered. In this specific case, the copper shipment was stolen in Alabama after leaving Florida, but it was found by the Cook County Sheriffs Office hundreds of miles away in Illinois. Latest Videos From Watch full video here: Criminals are increasingly targeting data center hardware and materials With hyperscalers announcing multimillion- and multibillion-dollar announcements on a near-weekly basis at some times, it means that huge amounts of valuable materials are being transported across
the US, ultimately creating new opportunities for criminals.

Besides copper wiring (pricing for which remains high, as does criminal demand), criminals are also targeting components and complete hardware like servers, GPU, storage and more. You may like Hackers target data center equipment, including critical power devices FBI says hackers are making millions from stolen cargo - losses 'surged' to nearly $725 million in 2025 The impact of the data center obsession on construction

But manufacturers are fighting back against the growing threat, often
stamping materials with serial numbers and trackers or installing GPS
trackers inside trailers. Selling on the secondhand market is also more of a challenge than consumer good theft, because buyers spending millions
typically want reassurance by means of documentation and proof of ownership.

Separate CargoNet data revealed that cargo theft incidents increased around 18% in 2025, with losses up a staggering 60% and average theft value rising 36%. Metal theft also rose 77%. Are you a pro? Subscribe to our newsletter Sign up to the TechRadar Pro newsletter to get all the top news, opinion, features and guidance your business needs to succeed! Contact me with news
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"Criminal enterprises are becoming more selective and sophisticated,
targeting extremely high value shipments rather than relying on opportunistic theft," Verisk CargoNet VP of Operations Keith Lewis added. Follow TechRadar on Google News and add us as a preferred source to get our expert news, reviews, and opinion in your feeds.



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Link to news story: https://www.techradar.com/pro/ai-data-center-supplies-hit-by-cargo-thieves-cop per-wires-construction-materials-all-stolen-in-usd1-3-million-heists


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