Two people in China were arrested after allegedly checking into esports hotels and removing RAM from the gaming PCs inside their rooms. Police said the pair later sold the memory through a second-hand trading platform, earning 13,200 yuan, or just under $2,000, from 16 sticks.
The case began with Li, who reportedly stayed at an esports hotel in Shihezi City and stole memory from one of the machines. After that, Li allegedly recruited Cheng. The two then moved between different hotels from May 15 through May 31, dismantling PCs during their stays.
Guangming Online reported that hotel guests noticed their computers no longer worked after Li and Cheng had checked out. The hotels reported the missing components to police, who eventually identified the suspects.
Investigators reportedly connected the pair to the thefts through their methods for taking apart the computers and the explanations they gave while selling the memory. Both suspects are currently in criminal detention, but they have not been found guilty. The investigation is still ongoing.
Why RAM Became the Target
Memory is small, easy to remove, and simple to conceal, which made it an attractive target during a period of high prices. Demand for RAM has also risen alongside the expansion of AI infrastructure, putting pressure on the supply of memory used in gaming PCs and other computers.
The thefts were not the only recent crime tied to demand from AI-related infrastructure. Tom’s Hardware also reported on the case, including the alleged sale of the 16 memory modules. In a separate incident mentioned by Guangming Online, cargo thieves allegedly took more than $1 million worth of copper and equipment from data centers in Chicago.
For esports hotels, the incident shows how much damage a missing component can cause. A machine may look intact from the outside, but removing its RAM can leave it unusable until the part is replaced.
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