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Related: About this forumTruckloads of Tesla Batteries Keep Getting Stolen Before They Even Leave the Factory
Paresh Dave
Business
Jun 29, 2026 5:00 AM
Truckloads of Tesla Batteries Keep Getting Stolen Before They Even Leave the Factory
Nine major suspected cargo thefts happened at Teslas Nevada battery factory in January alone, according to sheriffs records obtained by WIRED.
Trailers containing millions of dollars worth of Tesla car and home batteries have allegedly been stolen straight from loading docks at the companys Nevada facilities at least 11 times since last December, according to sheriffs records obtained by WIRED. ... Its an epidemic right now, says Storey County Sheriffs Detective Sam Hatley, who has been investigating the Tesla cases.
Three men suspected of carrying out one of the heists were arrested in January and charged with felony possession of stolen property. But the broader spate of cargo thefts plaguing Elon Musks car company are still under investigation and have not been previously reported.
WIRED has made this article free for all to read because it is primarily based on reporting from public records requests. Please consider subscribing to support our journalism.
Hatley tells WIRED the incidents documented in the sheriff's records reflect only a portion of the problem. Investigators are tracking a total of 17 alleged cargo thefts this year involving Tesla and other businesses in Storey County, though Hatley declined to say how many involved the carmaker specifically. One alleged operation that targeted Tesla also struck battery recycler Redwood Materials. These figures may be an undercount, Hatley adds, because companies are sometimes reluctant to disclose that their products have been stolen.
{snip}
Business
Jun 29, 2026 5:00 AM
Truckloads of Tesla Batteries Keep Getting Stolen Before They Even Leave the Factory
Nine major suspected cargo thefts happened at Teslas Nevada battery factory in January alone, according to sheriffs records obtained by WIRED.
Trailers containing millions of dollars worth of Tesla car and home batteries have allegedly been stolen straight from loading docks at the companys Nevada facilities at least 11 times since last December, according to sheriffs records obtained by WIRED. ... Its an epidemic right now, says Storey County Sheriffs Detective Sam Hatley, who has been investigating the Tesla cases.
Three men suspected of carrying out one of the heists were arrested in January and charged with felony possession of stolen property. But the broader spate of cargo thefts plaguing Elon Musks car company are still under investigation and have not been previously reported.
WIRED has made this article free for all to read because it is primarily based on reporting from public records requests. Please consider subscribing to support our journalism.
Hatley tells WIRED the incidents documented in the sheriff's records reflect only a portion of the problem. Investigators are tracking a total of 17 alleged cargo thefts this year involving Tesla and other businesses in Storey County, though Hatley declined to say how many involved the carmaker specifically. One alleged operation that targeted Tesla also struck battery recycler Redwood Materials. These figures may be an undercount, Hatley adds, because companies are sometimes reluctant to disclose that their products have been stolen.
{snip}
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Truckloads of Tesla Batteries Keep Getting Stolen Before They Even Leave the Factory (Original Post)
mahatmakanejeeves
Sunday
OP
rampartd
(5,716 posts)1. robbing from the rich is only 1/2 robin hood
given the level of surveillance available to a trillionaire tech lord i suspect these shipments are possibly being diverted to another of his projects.
or maybe the self driving trucks are just lost somewhere on the highway?
harumph
(3,600 posts)2. Yes, something is "off" about this.
I doubt this kind of thing could happen without looking the other way by management.
rampartd
(5,716 posts)3. not more than once.
ret5hd
(22,732 posts)4. 9, 11, at least 17 thefts...
quite an escalation in just one article.