Getting hold of PC and gaming hardware, whether it’s a current gen console or anNvidiaor AMD graphics card, is still proving difficult unless potential buyers are prepared to fork over more than the MSRP. WhileGPU prices are steadily coming back down, this current generation has been one filled with woe for a lot of people who have been looking for new tech. To make matters worse, it looks as though some people made an attempt to steal a lot of cards and make a profit through resales, though their plans were foiled.
According to a report from Videcardz, which references the Russian website Mash.ru, employees at a company called Wilberries, which is one of Russia’s largest online retailers and serves many parts of the world, including the USA, have been caught stealingNvidiaproducts. In particular, they’ve been spotted trying to lift and resell 20 RTX 3070 Ti cards.
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A video shows three workers pushing a number of boxes around the back of the building, before transporting the hardware upstairs and, eventually, taking them outside, dropping them from a window. The report goes on to say that while the heist itself was successful, selling them on afterwards was where the scheme fell apart. Estimates say that they stole around $38,000 US worth of products. WithNvidia suspending sales in Russia due to the ongoing conflict, getting hold of a graphics card is already difficult due to scarcity.
This is also not the first time thieves have attempted to steal thousands of dollars worth of PC hardware. Last November, atruckload of Nvidia RTX graphics cards were taken in California. While the cards were allegedly recovered, or at least found again, it goes to show the lengths that some are willing to go to in order to obtain highly sought after PC products. At the time of writing, it seems the RTX 3070 Ti cards have now been returned, and the suspects were detained.
WithIntel believing the tech shortage could go on until 2023, this latest report shows desperation as people continue struggling to purchaseNvidiaor AMD graphics cards. Of course, while most people are not prepared to break the law to acquire new hardware, many are finding themselves having to pay way over the retail value on sites like eBay for the privilege of owning a current GPU. The prices may be coming down, but evidently a small number of people are not prepared to wait until the market levels out again.
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