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Thanks to the ongoing chip shortage and supply chain issues, PC gamers continue to struggle in acquiring the latest powerful graphics cards. Thanks to a recent truck heist, gamers purchasing RTX graphics cards from resellers may have trouble registering their powerful Nvidia GPUs.
According to a recent statement from EVGA, a truckload of Nvidia RTX graphics cards was stolen in the US when traveling from San Francisco to EVGA's Southern California distribution center. The company has yet to confirm just how many powerful graphics cards were stolen during this heist, but it has confirmed that the price of the cards ranges from $329.99 to $1959.99 each. Because of the truck heist taking place in California, it's possible that PC gamers purchasing from scalpers in the state may end up with a stolen GPU.
EVGA is imploring anyone in the California area who knows what happened with the recent Nvidia RTX graphics card truck heist to come forward. It's asking for any information regarding the truck heist whether the information unveils who did it or how they were able to escape with all of the GPUs. EVGA has requested that anyone who knows how these Nvidia graphics cards were stolen contact it at stopRTX30theft@evga.com.
EVGA Tracks Stolen Cards
Because each Nvidia RTX graphics card has a serial number, EVGA is able to prevent any of the cards from being used. Any stolen Nvidia GPUs from the truck heist will not be registered, offered a warranty, or eligible for an upgrade. Before attempting to register their Nvidia graphics cards, it is recommended that PC gamers check their serial numbers through the EVGA warranty checking page.
EVGA has reminded PC gamers in the US about both state and local laws that revolve around buying and receiving stolen merchandise. According to EVGA's statement, it is a "criminal and civil offense to buy or receive property that has been stolen," including Nvidia graphics cards. This is according to California Penal Code section 496(a) which also states that it is a criminal and civil offense to “conceal, sell, withhold or aid in concealing selling or withholding any such property."
Because PC gamers in California still have limited access to Nvidia RTX graphics cards, this truck heist will likely further impact how many are publicly available. Although EVGA hasn't stated how many cards have been stolen, the value of the truckload is considered substantial given the value of each card, especially for graphics card scalpers. Because the serial numbers of Nvidia RTX graphics cards are easily tracked, it's likely that EVGA will eventually discover the perpetrators of the truck heist.
Source: Overclock3d