Two stolen trailers were recovered at a truck yard near Chicago, Illinois: one contained approximately $300,000 worth of copper cable and the other about $1,000,000 in data‑center equipment. The report notes the combined damage is roughly 400 million forints in local currency terms.
According to the Cook County Sheriff's Office, both trailers were dropped off by the same driver. The trailers had been reported stolen from two different states—Alabama and Florida—suggesting the involvement of criminal groups operating across state lines. No arrests have been reported so far; investigators are working to identify the driver and any other participants.
The trailer carrying the copper wire was located using a GPS tracker, although its license plate had been changed. It is not yet clear how authorities discovered the trailer carrying data‑center hardware.
Why these shipments are targeted
Copper is a high‑value industrial metal and is relatively easy to resell, which makes copper cabling an attractive target for cargo thieves. Large AI data centers can require hundreds of kilometers of heavy copper cable for grounding, power distribution and certain network connections, driving steady demand for used copper.
Data‑center equipment, while valuable, presents resale challenges for thieves. These devices are specialized and typically sold to institutions and large corporations; they often have serial numbers that can be traced and verified with manufacturers or authorized resellers. Buyers expect official invoices and warranty paperwork that stolen goods lack. For these reasons, stolen equipment is more likely to be disassembled for parts or smuggled to markets with weaker controls rather than sold intact on a legitimate secondary market.
Broader trends and economic impact
Experts say organized criminal groups have recognized that building AI infrastructure creates a lucrative new class of targets. Industry and law enforcement data indicate cargo thefts are on the rise and that criminals increasingly select high‑value shipments deliberately.
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security estimates cargo thefts cause about $35 billion in annual losses in the United States.
The Cook County Sheriff's Office continues to investigate this case and is pursuing identification of the driver and any accomplices.
