When it comes to computer heists, you might expect criminals to target their local electronics store. But in India, an enterprising thief (or group of crooks) managed to swipe hardware from… an aircraft carrier.

Police are currently probing the theft of a hard disk, random access memory (RAM) and processor from four computers recently installed in an Indigenous Aircraft Carrier (IAC). The warship, the first of its kind, is currently under construction at a shipyard in Kochi, India.

There are CCTV cameras outside the ship construction area, but none inside the ship – which may make finding the culprits a difficult task, according to police officials who spoke to local media.

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Authorities learned of the theft over the weekend, after initial trials of the ship’s electronics failed. It was initially presumed that there were problems with the wiring, when in fact the vessel’s computers had been rendered inoperable by the heist.

The Indian Navy has downplayed the incident, saying that the stolen hardware was of no military significance. Even if no military secrets were stolen, the theft could delay the carrier’s completion. The warship is expected to enter service sometime between 2020 and 2022.

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