GLOBAL – A custom-built 2025 Range Rover belonging to American basketball icon Shaquille O'Neal, valued at approximately KSh 23 million ($180,000), has been stolen in what authorities are investigating as a sophisticated cyber-enabled heist. The incident, which occurred during the vehicle's transport from Georgia to Louisiana in the United States, underscores an alarming evolution in high-value asset theft, moving from physical force to digital infiltration.

The Lumpkin County Sheriff's Office in Georgia was notified of the missing luxury SUV on Wednesday, October 22, 2025 (EAT). According to multiple international reports, the vehicle was en route from a customization shop in Dahlonega, Georgia, to its destination in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, but never arrived. The Range Rover had undergone significant modifications to accommodate the 7-foot-1-inch athlete's frame, a common practice for the star's extensive car collection.

Investigators believe the theft was not a crime of opportunity but a meticulously planned operation targeting the logistics network. Effortless Motors, the Atlanta-based luxury dealership that sold and arranged the customization for O'Neal, stated that the third-party transport company it hired was the victim of a cyber-attack. A spokesperson for the dealership described it as a “highly coordinated criminal act targeting the transport company's network,” adding that the company's internal systems were “compromised and hijacked.” This allowed the perpetrators to gain access to critical shipping details and reroute the vehicle under false pretenses.

A New Frontier in Vehicle Theft

This method, sometimes called a "double brokering" scam, involves criminals impersonating a legitimate transport company to take possession of cargo. Law enforcement officials reported that preliminary information suggests an “unauthorized individual or company may have taken possession of the vehicle under false pretenses.” Further investigation identified a tow truck, registered to Griffin Wrecker Service LLC, which was allegedly used to transport the Range Rover to an undisclosed address in Atlanta. As of Friday, October 24, 2025 (EAT), no arrests had been made, and federal investigators are now involved due to the interstate and digital nature of the crime.

In response to the theft, Effortless Motors has offered a $10,000 (approximately KSh 1.3 million) reward for any information that leads to the recovery of the vehicle. O'Neal, who has not commented publicly, is reportedly cooperating fully with the investigation.

Global Trend, Local Relevance

While this high-profile theft occurred in the United States, it highlights a significant global security challenge that is relevant to Kenya and the wider East African region. The increasing reliance on digital logistics and fleet management systems, while boosting efficiency, also creates new vulnerabilities for criminals to exploit. The methods used in the O'Neal case—such as hacking, phishing, and impersonation to divert cargo—are tactics that can be deployed anywhere in the world, targeting everything from luxury cars to commercial goods.

Security experts note a sharp rise in high-tech vehicle theft globally. Modern criminals are increasingly using methods like Controller Area Network (CAN) injection, where they hack into a car's internal computer through vulnerable points like headlights, and relay attacks that capture and replicate key fob signals to unlock and start vehicles without forced entry. These techniques bypass traditional security measures like alarms and immobilizers, posing a significant threat to vehicle owners and the insurance industry. The theft of O'Neal's car serves as a critical case study in how logistical and cyber security are now inextricably linked, a lesson for Kenya's burgeoning logistics and e-commerce sectors to heed as they continue to digitize their operations.