What just happened? With the price and rarity of Ampere graphics cards getting close to that of gold, the RTX 3000 series is becoming an enticing target for criminals. So, it's not totally surprising to learn that a shipment of EVGA GeForce RTX 3000-series cards was stolen from a truck as it made its way to a distribution center.

The heist, which took place on October 29, was announced by EVGA Product Manager Jacob Freeman via the company's forums (as reported by IGN). He didn't reveal too many details about the crime, likely because it's an ongoing investigation, though he did confirm the truck was en route from San Francisco to EVGA's Southern California distribution center at the time.

It sounds as if the thieves made off with most of the Ampere lineup. Freeman added that the stolen cards' values start at $329.99--- likely the RTX 3060---and go all the way up to $1959.99---the RTX 3090. These are MSRPs, so the actual selling prices would be a lot higher. How many were stolen wasn't revealed, but it will doubtlessly have been a large number.

For those hoping to grab themselves a cheap RTX 3000 card, Freeman warns that it is a criminal and civil offense to buy or receive property that has been stolen, as per the California Penal Code section 496(a). He also notes that it is a criminal and civil offense to "conceal, sell, withhold, or aid in concealing selling or withholding" any such property.

Anyone who purchases a very new-looking EVGA card from a second-hand market can confirm it's not stolen by checking the serial number at the company's warranty check page. Additionally, the card is genuine if it can be successfully registered and seen under My Products. EVGA will not register or honor any warranty or upgrade claims on stolen products.

Average selling prices of the RTX 3000 and Radeon RX 6000 series. No wonder thieves want them.

A recent report illustrates the sad truth that Ampere and RDNA 2 cards are becoming ever more expensive and harder to find; AMD's products are close to their peak price. Their scarcity and amount of money needed to secure one mean more cards are appearing on the black market, but don't be tempted to buy one.

This isn't the first case of RTX 3000 cards being hijacked. Forty containers of RTX 3090s that were worth over $330,000 were stolen from an MSI factory in China last December in what is believed to have been an insider job.