The theft came to light on 8 June, when the driver stopped to carry out a routine inspection at a fuel station in the United States. It was then he noticed that several pallets of cargo were missing from the trailer. The shipment was later confirmed to have included 2,810 consoles, each with a retail price of $499.
According to the Arapahoe County Sheriff’s Office, the truck had set off from Nintendo of America’s headquarters in Redmond, Washington, and was heading to a GameStop distribution point in Grapevine, Texas. The driver reportedly told officers he did not know the exact contents of the trailer, only that it was related to games or toys.
The incident occurred somewhere along the 1,300-mile route, though it remains unclear exactly when or where the theft took place. The driver discovered the missing load while parked at a Love’s Truck Stop in Bennett, a small town on the outskirts of Denver.
Police say the theft involved multiple pallets being removed, indicating a degree of planning and organisation. Authorities have launched an investigation and are appealing for information from the public. Anyone with relevant details is asked to call the Sheriff’s Office tip line on +1 720 874 8477. Callers can remain anonymous.
If the perpetrators are caught, they could face felony theft charges for goods valued at over $1 million, as well as charges of criminal mischief.
The incident comes just weeks after the global launch of the Nintendo Switch 2, which sold 3.5 million units in its first few days. Due to high demand and limited supply, the consoles are seen as particularly valuable—a fact that may have contributed to the theft.
There have been previous cases of video game hardware being stolen in transit, including during the launch of the PlayStation 5 in 2020, when UK-based gangs carried out high-speed thefts from moving vehicles using a method known as the “rollover”.
