Nearly 3,000 Nintendo Switch 2 consoles were stolen from a truck transporting inventory between Nintendo of America's headquarters and a GameStop store in Texas.
According to Denver 7, a local ABC News affiliate, police investigating the theft discovered the crime while the driver was en route through Colorado. The lost merchandise is valued at approximately $1.4 million.
Finding those responsible may be difficult, as investigators are currently uncertain where exactly the theft occurred during the driver's 1,332-mile journey.
Whether this was a planned operation targeting the truck from Nintendo's Redmond, Washington headquarters, or a random crime, remains unclear. Police noted that multiple pallets of Switch 2 consoles were removed from the trailer, indicating a degree of organization.
If apprehended, the perpetrators could face multiple felony theft charges. The driver stated he was unaware he was transporting Nintendo's new console.
Local authorities are requesting information about the crime and have provided a tip line at 720-874-8477.
The Nintendo Switch 2 launched globally earlier this month, selling 3.5 million units in its first few days. While Nintendo has managed to maintain relatively good stock availability despite initial concerns, incidents like this complicate supply efforts.
Theft of valuable video game hardware is not new. In 2020, around the PlayStation 5 launch, Sony's sought-after console was stolen from moving trucks in the UK using a 'rollover' technique. The Times reported that gangs used this method repeatedly, boxing in trucks at speeds up to 50 mph so a thief could climb aboard and cut into the trailer.
Nintendo stock has also been targeted before, such as in a 2015 incident where a truck carrying copies of Splatoon for the Switch and rare amiibo figures was stolen in its entirety.
This is also not the first Switch 2-related issue for retailer GameStop, which previously made headlines for damaging console screens by stapling receipts to them during the midnight launch.
