Trailers containing millions of dollars worth of Tesla car and home batteries have allegedly been stolen straight from loading docks at the company's Nevada facilities at least 11 times since last December, according to sheriff’s records obtained by WIRED.

“It’s an epidemic right now,” says Storey County Sheriff’s Detective Sam Hatley, who has been investigating the Tesla cases. 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.

What particularly worries law enforcement and the cargo industry is the rise of so-called strategic thefts, like what Tesla allegedly has experienced. These operations don’t involve thieves snatching goods from an unattended trailer at a public rest stop. Organized groups have instead found ways to exploit gaps in security protocols at the world’s most valuable automaker.

Despite tightening its procedures and verifying the identity of drivers at the factory gate, Tesla is still dealing with these heists. A Tesla associate manager told investigators that some of the initial thefts stemmed from failing to adhere to basic security protocols. Thefts are “happening, but not as prolifically,” says Hatley.

Theft prevention consultancy Verisk CargoNet estimated last year that shipping thefts in the US roughly doubled from 2022 to 2024 and are now collectively costing companies nearly $18 million a day. Electronic components have been a frequent target, including Powerwalls, which were taken by a dodgy logistics carrier.