Costco has begun removing RAM modules from the gaming PCs it displays on shelves after thieves began stealing sticks directly from the cases.
The move follows a series of incidents in which people smash tempered glass panels, grab DDR5, and leave everything else behind, looking embarrassed.
It is not hard to see why, since RAM modules are reportedly selling for four to five times their usual prices, turning a couple of sticks into an easy payday.
Reddit users report that Costco staff have been dealing with this regularly and have responded by removing RAM from display builds to stop the bleeding.
It is not just memory, either, because the retailer has also begun removing GPUs, which are nearly as easy to remove as RAM.
One user said a Costco store even caught a RAM thief on camera, suggesting this has gone beyond the odd chancer and become a pattern.
Costco may require membership, but that does not stop Instacart shoppers wandering in, and one reported thief was apparently doing exactly that.
Some users claim Costco previously tried placing GPUs at the back of cases rather than leaving them in full view, and now it is keeping both GPUs and RAM out of reach.
Those are the two priciest bits in most modern builds, and both can sell for hundreds of dollars more than the official price tags when the market gets ugly.
