[I LOVE THE CAPS LOCK KEY @ Dec 30th 2006 3:37AM]

CPUz gets it's tracking information from the SPD chip on a finished DIMM.

The theves did not steal finished DIMMs, they got away with just one part of a DIMM: the BGA/TSOP chips them selves in bulk form (think of a bucket of microchips). The markings for them including the day, week, and year of manufacture should be printed on the surface of each BGA module. But my experience also tells me that with the right tools, wiping them free of their markings is not a tough thing to do (that's if you have the knowledge).

[Tech^Cellfish @ Dec 30th 2006 8:40AM]

Remarking chips is often done in China. People remember the remarked Pentium 1 chips that where common in the 90's? They still do it, some even remark older chips and sell them to CPU / chip collectors.

The price is about 20cent pr.chip to relabel old white cheramic chips. Don't know how much the chineese take to relabel stolen modern ddr chips. But the factories are definitively ready to do this if the thiefs want it done.