I mean, suppose the story wouldn't be much different if they stole, say, a military intelligence report. That would not be a technothriller. It must permeate the story and be central to its evolution and conclusion. The technology can't simply be a prize pursued by the hero and the villain. The story must revolve around it from beginning to end.
Technology has to be more central to the story.
A technothriller is no different. Writing a novel is like building a model of a human being. The plot is the skeleton. Everything must be in the book for a reason. If assorted bones were randomly added to a skeletal structure, it would not work.