Two PlusAI trailers disappeared overnight from the company’s Fremont, California, warehouse on Sept. 24. One displayed both PlusAI and NVIDIA branding. Whoever took them broke the hand locks before pulling the trailers away from their docks. Inside sat something far less valuable than high-end technology: 40,000 pounds of sand.
PlusAI discovered the equipment missing the following morning. Its vehicle operations team immediately contacted police and filed insurance reports. Employees also reached out to neighboring facilities seeking security footage. Fremont Police received the stolen vehicle report at approximately 9:34 a.m.
The sand inside had a legitimate purpose. PlusAI uses simulated loads during manual testing of its trucks. Consistent weight helps engineers evaluate handling, braking and other driving dynamics. Those conditions more closely resemble real freight operations.
An unexpected text changes everything
The case took an unusual turn later that afternoon. A friend of PlusAI’s vice president of legal spotted both trailers outside her Newark office. The location sat only minutes from the company’s Fremont warehouse. She thought PlusAI had brought the equipment there for a display.
She photographed the trailers and texted the executive a congratulatory message. The picture quickly caught the company’s attention. PlusAI sent its vehicle operations team to the location and contacted authorities. Employees soon confirmed they had found the missing equipment.
“The trailers were actually located through a remarkable coincidence,” Lauren Kwan, PlusAI’s vice president of marketing, told FreightWaves. Newark Police responded to the 39000 block of Eureka Drive that afternoon. Officers recovered both trailers and returned them to PlusAI. All 40,000 pounds of sand remained inside.
“Police told us it appeared the thieves had broken open the back of the trailers,” Kwan told FreightWaves. She added that they found nothing valuable inside before abandoning the equipment. The discovery brought a quick end to the search. However, it did not answer why someone targeted the trailers.
One trailer carried NVIDIA branding
PlusAI linked the joint branding to its long-standing collaboration with NVIDIA. The companies work together on AI software and autonomous trucks. “One of them displayed joint PlusAI and NVIDIA branding,” Kwan told FreightWaves. She explained that the markings reflected the companies’ ongoing collaboration.
The branding raises a question about whether it influenced the thieves’ decision. However, Fremont Police has not publicly established a motive. No confirmed evidence currently connects the NVIDIA markings to the theft. Investigators also have not identified what the thieves expected to find inside.
Tracking technology did not lead PlusAI to the equipment in this case. Instead, the unexpected sighting led directly to its recovery. Kwan noted that real-time visibility could still provide value across transportation. Location and status technology can give fleets another tool against cargo theft.
Fremont Police assigned report number 260924009 to the original theft investigation. Newark Police documented the recovery under incident number P26101390. Fremont investigators continue working to determine who took the trailers. Authorities have not announced any arrests.
Why it matters
Trailer theft can develop quickly, giving transportation companies limited time to locate missing equipment. Physical security and real-time visibility can help fleets identify unauthorized movement sooner.
Click here for more articles on cargo theft and freight fraud by Phil Brink.
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